Flood: Fed Govt puts Lagos, FCT, Ogun, 31 other states on notice
• 15,597 communities in 405 councils across 35 states at risk President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for urgent and coordinated action to address flooding nationwide. President Tinubu spoke yesterday
• 15,597 communities in 405 councils across 35 states at risk
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for urgent and coordinated action to address flooding nationwide.
President Tinubu spoke yesterday during the unveiling of the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The President described flooding as a persistent national threat to lives, livelihoods and food production.
He stressed that flood prevention and control were priority under his administration’s food security agenda.
According to the President, interventions have been carried out in vulnerable states, including Benue, Kogi, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Adamawa, noting that the 2024 flood disaster in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, marked a turning point towards proactive flood management for the government.
He added that efforts, which were coordinated by the Office of the Vice President alongside security agencies and development partners, focused on prevention.
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President Tinubu urged the Ministries of Water Resources and Sanitation, and Marine and Blue Economy to develop strategies to better harness Nigeria’s water resources for sustainable development.
Water Resources and Sanitation Minister Joseph Terlumun Utsev said the 2026 outlook showed that 15,597 communities in 405 local government areas across 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) could face moderate flood risk.
The minister stated that 14,118 communities in 266 local government areas across 33 states and the FCT fell within high-risk zones, while 923 communities face low risk.
He said flooding was expected to peak between July and September, with varying impacts likely from April to November.
Utsev warned that major cities, including Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, and Port Harcourt, could experience flash and urban flooding due to heavy rainfall, poor drainage, and rapid urbanisation.
Coastal states, such as Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos, and Rivers, were also at risk of flooding from rising sea levels and tidal surges, which he said might affect fishing and river transportation.
Utsev urged state governments, local authorities, and the residents in vulnerable areas to begin early preparations, stressing that the Federal Government was strengthening flood forecasting through improved hydrological monitoring systems and closer collaboration with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
The NIHSA Director-General, Umar Ibrahim Mohammed, described the outlook as a critical planning tool for disaster preparedness.
He said the 2026 forecast was produced from improved data-driven processes to identify high-risk areas and urban flood vulnerabilities.
According to him, the agency has upgraded its flood dashboard into a real-time decision-support system, adding that a mobile application has been introduced to improve access to flood alerts.
The NIHSA boss added that flood marshals have been deployed to support users and respond to enquiries.
He urged stakeholders to take the forecast seriously and act early to reduce the impact of flooding on vulnerable communities.
