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Nigeria’s nomadic fishermen, on the front lines of the climate crisis

Some 3.8 million people settle each year on the banks of the Niger River to catch and sell fish. Living in precarious conditions, they are especially hard hit by the increasingly frequent storms and floods

Text: Davide Mancini Photography: Giulio Tonincelli

Anambra (Nigeria) - Aug 24, 2023 - 17:16CEST

The Niger River, at 2,600 miles, is the third-longest river in Africa and flows through four countries (Guinea, Mali, Niger at its border with Benin, and Nigeria). Some 3.8 million nomadic fishermen live, seasonally, on its banks, according to 2016 data from Nigeria's University of Port Harcourt. In the photo, taken in February, a fisherman observes the rising waters in the village of Igbedor (Anambra State, southern Nigeria). Giulio Tonincelli

The river level near the village of Igbedor usually drops in January and February. This phenomenon causes sandy islets to resurface. Entire families settle on these islets for about two months, catching and drying fish to sell in local markets. In the photo, a woman paddles in the stretch of the river that separates the village from the agricultural fields. Giulio Tonincell

Climate change is increasing the risk of flooding in Nigeria, and making life more difficult for these fishermen as well. Between June and November last year, 1.5 million Nigerians had to flee their homes because of flooding and some 500,000 hectares of crops were damaged. Nomadic fishermen adapt to changing rainfall cycles, anticipating or postponing their movements along the Niger River depending on its flow and weather conditions. In the photo, a fisherman fixes his net on the temporary island created in Igdebor, called Nkpologwu, last January. Giulio Tonincelli

The village of Igbedor and the surrounding villages are connected through the river system, which is also a major source of water for domestic use. The local population is of Igbo ethnicity and speaks Igbo, like the vast majority of the population in Anambra. For a few months, fishermen from the northern states, such as the Igala of Kogi, settle in the area and coexist peacefully with the local Igbo community, even though they speak different languages and have different traditions. Giulio Tonincelli

Nomadic fishermen often live in vulnerable communities with limited access to resources and infrastructure. Extreme weather events, such as storms and floods, can further increase their financial fragility, leading to loss of fishing gear, damage to boats and displacement from their traditional fishing grounds. The photo, taken in February 2023, shows Yaheya, a 25-year-old Igala nomadic fisherman, at dawn on the Niger River. Giulio Tonincell

Seasonal huts like the one in the photo provide shelter to fishermen during the middle of the day, since fishing is mainly done at night. These structures are made of fragile materials, such as bush branches, and often face wind, sand and water storms. They are left behind with the arrival of the rains. Giulio Tonincell

The population of Igbedor, and Anambra State in general, suffered one of its worst floods in decades last October. Extremely heavy rains, combined with the opening of dams that released large amounts of water into the Niger River, resulted in the deaths of more than 600 people. Giulio Tonincelli

Tango, 18, usually moves for six months to the island of Nkpologwu with his entire family. Of the 3.8 million nomadic fishermen working on the banks of the Niger River, 1.3 million are of school age, according to data from Nigeria's University of Port Harcourt.Giulio Tonincelli

Fet is a 16-year-old nomadic fisherwoman. Normally, torrential rains start at the end of May. This year they came in mid-March and, according to Igbedor villagers, the volume of rain in early June was as heavy as it usually is in August. Giulio Tonincelli

The women are usually in charge of cleaning the catch, drying and smoking it so that it can be preserved and sold in nearby markets.Giulio Tonincelli