In-Depth Study of Climate Change and its Impact on Terrestrial Wireless Communications over North Western Nigeria

In recent times, studies on climate change and the impact on wireless communications are gaining the attention of radio scientists and engineers for effective planning of radio link and equipment maintenance. Climate change variabilities and their implications on wireless communications over the cities of Kaduna, Katsina and Sokoto (north western Nigeria), were investigated using forty-two years’ (1980-2021) atmospheric data. Results reveal substantial degree of climate change with increase in temperature profiles for all the locations. Minimum climatic mean temperature of 27.01, 29.30 and 30.70 oC were determined in Kaduna, Katsina and Sokoto respectively. Similarly, highest mean values of 30.20, 31.80 and 32.10 oC were obtained respectively in that order. The months with the least and highest temperatures in Kaduna are December and April with 23.91 and 33.06 oC respectively. For Katsina; 25.23 and 35.76 oC were obtained, while 26.28 and 36.05 oC were obtained in Sokoto in January and April respectively; and the hottest month in the studied region is April. For precipitation, minimum mean values of 2.02, 1.19 and 1.30 mm and maximum of 5.24, 2.53 and 2.39 mm were obtained in Kaduna, Katsina and Sokoto respectively. The month with the highest amount of rainfall in all the cities is August with mean values of 8.97, 6.45 and 6.52 mm in Kaduna, Katsina and Sokoto cities. The implications of these findings on terrestrial communications are that; installed out-door communication hardware such as the transmitting tower and antenna, transmitter modules and wave guides could be subjected to perturbations that will affect their optimal performances and durability during the months of excessive temperature and rainfall. Radio scientists and engineers should incorporate climate change impacts on equipment design and employ major preventive maintenance on outdoor hardware in the months of April and August over the studied areas to ensure reliability and safe cost.