The Federal Government has pledged to protect lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure nationwide by issuing timely, accurate, and actionable flood alerts and advisories.
The Director of Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management at the Federal Ministry of Environment, Usman Bokani, stated this on Tuesday in his 2025 flood watch awareness and preparedness message.
Last week, the government revealed that approximately 1,249 communities across 176 Local Government Areas in 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory are expected to experience significant flooding between April and November this year.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, made this announcement during the official presentation of the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency in Abuja.
According to Utsev, high flood-risk states include: Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, and Jigawa.
Others include: Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the Federal Capital Territory.
The minister emphasised that flooding remains one of Nigeria’s most devastating natural disasters, warning that climate change continues to increase both the frequency and severity of flood events.
He added that coastal and riverine states, such as Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, and Ondo—are likely to experience flooding due to rising sea levels and tidal surges, with expected impacts on fishing activities, wildlife habitats, and river transport systems.Data from the National Emergency Management Agency, revealed that in 2024, flood disasters affected 217 Local Government Areas across 34 states. A total of 1,373,699 people were impacted, with 740,734 displaced and 321 fatalities recorded.
Additionally, 2,854 individuals sustained various degrees of injuries, and thousands of hectares of cultivated farmland were either submerged or destroyed by floodwaters.
Meanwhile, Bokani noted that every flood alert issued is not a panic signal, but a call to prepare.
He said, “In an era of increasing climate variability and extreme weather conditions, the Federal Ministry of Environment is committed to its unwavering mission to protect lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure nationwide by delivering timely, accurate, and actionable flood alerts and advisories.
“Our approach centres on proactive risk communication, inter-agency collaboration, and strengthening community resilience. Through early warning systems, public education, and real-time environmental monitoring, we empower citizens to respond swiftly and effectively to flood threats. Every flood alert we issue is not a panic signal, but a call to prepare.”
He went on to say, “In light of the ongoing rainy season, all State Ministries of Environment, including the FCT, as well as relevant stakeholders, are urged to intensify flood preparedness efforts. These include comprehensive flood awareness campaigns; dredging and de-siltation of drainages and manholes; and prompt removal of plastic and solid waste from canals and waterways
He warned that the risk of flash floods remains high with intense rainfall and blocked drainage systems.
