BY SHUAIBU UMARU, SEPTEMBER 03, 2026 | 04:09 PM
Across the Sahel, the rainy season is usually welcomed as a break from months of intense heat.
But for some communities, the rains are arriving without the expected drop in temperature, leaving residents to deal with heat that continues to affect their daily lives.
In northeastern Nigeria, particularly Borno State, residents say the situation is becoming difficult to ignore.
Even when it rains, the heat can return quickly, making homes uncomfortable and daily activities more difficult.
For Engr. Abdulsalam Ibrahim Gaji, a resident of Mairi Kuwait in Maiduguri, the contrast has become noticeable.
He said he expected the rainy season to bring cooler and more comfortable weather, but continues to experience extreme heat.
‘We are expecting cooler and conducive weather during rainy season but unfortunately, we are experiencing extreme heat in the region,’ Gaji said.
‘And this made me barely sleep in the night time and affects almost my daily activities.’
Gaji's experience shows how persistent heat can affect daily life beyond physical discomfort.
High temperatures can disrupt sleep, reduce productivity and make everyday activities more difficult, especially for people who work outdoors or do not have reliable access to cooling facilities.
But why does the heat remain so intense even after the rains arrive?
According to climate-change expert Dr. Muhammad Isa Tada, several environmental and climatic factors contribute to persistent heat across the Sahel.
He pointed to the region's proximity to the Sahara Desert, its arid and semi-arid environment, limited vegetation and increasing deforestation.
Tada also said atmospheric moisture affects how people experience heat.
He explained that processes such as evapotranspiration, combined with hot and dry conditions, contribute to the movement and loss of moisture from soil and vegetation.
The expert said the Sahel's proximity to the Sahara and other arid areas exposes communities to high temperatures.
He added that limited vegetation reduces the environment's ability to provide shade and moderate surface temperatures.
Tada also identified deforestation as a concern.
He said the continued cutting of trees is reducing vegetation cover and leaving communities more exposed to heat.
‘The high rate of deforestation is also one of the reasons for the current situation,’ Tada said.
The effects of persistent heat go beyond discomfort.
Many people in the region depend on agriculture, livestock keeping, trading and other outdoor activities, meaning prolonged heat can affect livelihoods and increase pressure on limited water resources.
Vulnerable groups may also face greater risks from prolonged exposure to high temperatures.
Tada said addressing the problem requires greater protection and restoration of vegetation.
He said communities should reduce indiscriminate tree cutting and increase tree planting as part of efforts to respond to rising temperatures.
‘The major solution to overcome this problem is to avoid indiscriminate cutting of trees and people should put more efforts in planting trees,’ he said.
As the rainy season continues across the Sahel, the experience of residents like Gaji raises a simple question: what happens when the rains come but the heat stays?
For communities already dealing with high temperatures, the response may depend on how quickly governments, communities and individuals adopt measures to make the region more resilient to extreme heat.
Editor's Note: This story was produced under a collaborative fellowship programme between Yerwa Express News (YEN), Lake Chad Times, and the Union of Campus Journalists (UCJ), University of Maiduguri.