As Nigeria braces for another devastating flood season, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has identified 12 states and 43 Local Government Areas (LGAs) as high-risk zones for potential flood disasters in 2025.
The agency’s Director-General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, raised the alarm during an inception meeting with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Abuja.
She revealed that over 5.2 million Nigerians were affected by floods in 2024 alone, with 1,237 deaths, and destruction stretching across 35 states.
“These floods displaced more than 1.2 million people and destroyed 116,172 homes as well as over 1.4 million hectares of farmland in 401 LGAs,” she said.
The meeting, focused on emergency flood response and long-term collaboration with JICA, also spotlighted the urgent need for capacity building, improved infrastructure, and climate adaptation strategies.
Mrs. Umar, represented by Assistant Director of Disaster Risk Reduction, Mr. Simon Katu, attributed the increasing frequency and impact of floods to a combination of climate change, rapid urbanization, poor drainage systems, and population pressure.
“Floods in 2024 and early 2025 severely impacted infrastructure—roads, bridges, and health facilities—while also disrupting economic activities and livelihoods,” Katu noted.
One of the hardest-hit incidents occurred in Mokwa, Niger State, where over 3,000 persons were affected, over 1,000 displaced, more than 100 lives lost, and several others declared missing.
In response, NEMA has launched a nationwide preparedness campaign, having already engaged all 36 states and the FCT.
The agency plans simulation exercises in Anambra and Kano States to boost local emergency response capacity.
To bolster the efforts, NEMA has set up a five-member technical committee, headed by the agency’s Director of Disaster Risk Reduction, Mr. Idris Abubakar Mohammed.
The committee will interface with JICA to develop a framework for disaster response training and support, including the possibility of technical exchanges with Japan.
“We are keen on a long-term partnership with Nigeria,” said Mr. Keisuke Matsushita, JICA’s Project Formulation Advisor.
“It is vital that we strengthen institutional capacity and emergency protocols before the next disaster strikes.”
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