A Deadly Cholera Outbreak puts Nigeria and Ethiopia in Crisis

Africa’s changing climate — marked by hotter temperatures, heavy rains, and water shortages — is creating the perfect conditions for cholera to spread.

In early 2025, a major outbreak swept across 17 countries, with over 117,000 people infected and more than 2,400 deaths. Nigeria and Ethiopia are among the hardest hit, with health systems under growing pressure.

Below, we explore how climate extremes, unsafe water, and a global vaccine shortage are fuelling the outbreak — and why urgent action is needed before it’s too late.

Rapidly escalating outbreak

By May 2025, a WHO situation report found that Africa was facing a deadly cholera outbreak across 17 countries. Over 117,000 people were infected, and 2,400 died since the start of the year.

In May alone, 24,104 new cases and 480 deaths were reported across 12 countries.

South Sudan is the hardest hit, while countries like Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda are also seeing rising cases in areas with unsafe water and weak healthcare.

A climate-fuelled health crisis

Africa is getting hotter 1.5 times faster than the world average. Seven of the 20 most climate-vulnerable countries are in Africa. In 2024, the continent experienced its hottest decade on record, with extreme heat, droughts, and floods disrupting lives, health, and food security, according to the WMO’s State of the Climate in Africa 2024 report.

Climate change is helping cholera and other diseases spread more easily. This happens when:

• Floods and landslides mix sewage with drinking water
• Droughts leave people with little or no clean water
• Hot weather and strange rainfall help bacteria grow in water

These problems are worst in places without clean water, safe toilets, and solid healthcare. In Nigeria and Ethiopia, cholera cases are rising, and extreme weather is making the situation more serious. As extreme weather becomes more common, cholera outbreaks are likely to get worse — unless countries get long-term help to build stronger, climate-ready health systems.

Running low: vaccines in short supply

Cholera is harder to control due to a global shortage of vaccines.

By March, 5.2 million emergency oral cholera vaccines were made available — but this is not enough. Across Africa, demand is much higher, and many people are still unprotected. This is helping the outbreak spread.

Health systems struggling to keep up

Health systems across the continent are under pressure. Many countries are also facing malaria, drought, food shortages, and problems after COVID-19.

In Nigeria and Ethiopia, the cholera outbreak is especially harmful:

• Nigeria is dealing with malaria and unsafe water.
• Ethiopia is facing drought, displacement, and limited healthcare.

All of this makes it harder to stop the spread of cholera.

Read more about health risks here.

Time is running out: calls for urgent action

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