Journalists participating in the UK–Media Excellence in Emerging Technologies (UK MEET) Fellowship have examined the human and governance factors behind climate disasters in Nigeria, with media experts urging journalists to centre affected communities in their reporting.

The discussions took place on the second day of the fellowship, which focused on climate change and environmental risk, featuring a panel discussion, a lecture on climate technology, a debate and practical training in digital storytelling and data visualisation.

During a panel session titled “Covering Climate Disasters: What Gets the Blame, and What’s Next?”, moderated by Hauwa Shaffii Nuhu of HumAngle Media, the panellists were Murtala Abdullahi, a climate security analyst; Goodness Chibunna, news editor at TheCable; and Ibrahim Wambai, a geologist, examined the factors behind environmental disasters and conflicts.

Abdullahi warned that attributing environmental problems solely to natural causes could allow governments to evade responsibility for failures in planning and environmental management.

He cited the construction of buildings along waterways as a major human factor in the 2025 Mokwa flooding, highlighting how settlement patterns and human activities can worsen the impact of flooding.

He also identified encroachment on grazing routes as a factor contributing to farmer-herder conflicts, underscoring the relationship between land use, environmental pressures and insecurity.

The discussion emphasized the need for journalists to look beyond the immediate effects of disasters and investigate the human decisions, governance gaps and planning failures that can expose communities to environmental risks.

Climate Technology and The zhuman Angle

In a lecture titled “Climate Tech in Nigeria: What Works, What Scales, and Why It Matters,” Lolade Awogbade, Green Growth Advisor at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), urged journalists to tell stories that reflect the experiences of people affected by environmental challenges.

She stressed the importance of human-centred reporting, noting that stories about communities and their challenges can attract the attention of international development partners looking for opportunities to support interventions. “Journalists should write stories about the people since foreign development partners tend to see those things first,” she stated.

The session reinforced the importance of connecting climate technology and development initiatives to the lived realities of affected populations, rather than focusing exclusively on innovations, policies or technical solutions.

The programme also featured a debate in which fellows presented differing perspectives on the possible causes of environmental problems. The exercise encouraged participants to interrogate competing explanations and consider the range of factors that shape environmental challenges.

The discussions provided an opportunity to examine how evidence, public policy, human behaviour and environmental conditions can inform the reporting of climate-related issues.

Practical training in visual and data storytelling

The day’s activities also included practical sessions designed to strengthen fellows’ storytelling skills. Grace Imo of Canva Africa led a hands-on session on using Canva for storytelling, introducing participants to digital tools for communicating complex issues through visual content.

Funmilayo Babatunde of Dataphyte and Taslim Salaudeen of Milsat Technologies also trained fellows in data visualisation, equipping them with approaches to present data in accessible and engaging formats.

The sessions showed the role of visual communication and data journalism in making climate and environmental reporting clearer, more compelling and accessible to wider audiences.