Asian Journal of Geographical Research

Climate change is experienced unevenly across Nigeria, and newspaper coverage can influence which hazards, places, responsibilities, and responses become publicly visible. Existing studies of Nigerian climate journalism have commonly used framing or agenda-setting theory in isolation, while evidence about audience interpretation and risk communication remains limited. This structured narrative review integrates framing theory, agenda-setting and agenda-building, media-system dependency, the social amplification of risk, and environmental-communication perspectives. Literature was identified through open scholarly discovery services, journal and publisher archives, institutional repositories, and DOI resolution, using terms relating to climate change, Nigerian newspapers, framing, agenda-setting, media dependency, risk communication, environmental communication, localization, and public engagement. Foundational theoretical works and empirically relevant Nigerian or comparative African studies were retained only when their bibliographic identity could be authenticated. Unverifiable records and references with mismatched DOI metadata were excluded. The final synthesis comprised 28 authenticated sources, including seven empirical studies directly informing the Nigerian discussion. The reviewed evidence indicates recurrent concerns about low or episodic salience, limited prominence, uneven thematic depth, and dependence on event-driven or externally sourced material; however, findings vary by newspaper sample, period, genre, and coding scheme. The review therefore avoids fixed editorial stereotypes and proposes an integrated multilevel model in which geographical and institutional contexts shape agenda-building, frame selection, message quality, audience dependency, risk interpretation, and potential knowledge or action outcomes. Regional experience, literacy, platform access, trust, and livelihood are treated as moderators rather than assumed audience characteristics. The model provides a basis for future longitudinal content analyses linked to audience research. For practice, Nigerian newspapers should combine locally specific hazard reporting with verified scientific explanation, transparent uncertainty, diverse community and expert sources, actionable adaptation information, and sustained follow-up beyond disaster peaks.