Extreme Heat and El Niño Drive Severe Mortality Projections in the Sahel Region

A research report published by the University of Chicago’s Climate Impact Lab outlines the severe impacts of the El Niño event on the Sahel region. The study projects that 66,800 additional deaths across the Sahel could be attributed to the heat driven by El Niño. The projections, which run through February 2027, indicate that Nigeria faces the highest projected toll within the region at 31,400.

The findings highlight that extreme heat poses the greatest threat in areas where incomes are relatively low. The report also notes that global land temperatures are projected to climb by about 1.2 degrees Celsius, leading to extremely hot days being 44 percent more frequent than in an average year.