NIHSA ISSUES FLOOD WARNING FOR 28 STATES AND 739 COMMUNITIES

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has released a new flood warning for 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

As reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the agency cautioned that more than 739 communities across 162 local government areas face a significant risk of flooding from Tuesday through August 5.

The alert was detailed in a statement issued by the Director General of NIHSA, Mr. Umar Mohammad, who explained that it was based on the agency’s latest forecast.

He noted that the warning aligns with NIHSA’s 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO), which was released on April 10.

The statement added that NIHSA issues weekly flood alerts to identify areas at risk of flooding.

States listed in the current warning include Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, the FCT, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, and Lagos.

Others were Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe.

The agency urged emergency management stakeholders to activate preparedness and response mechanisms.

“The intensity and impact of the floods will vary across the affected states during the forecast period,” it said.

The agency stated that the warning spans 28 states, starting from Adamawa and extending to Yobe in the North East.

It also highlighted that major urban centers, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Lagos State, are among the areas at risk.

According to the agency, over 100 major transportation routes—including key economic corridors—could face disruptions. These include the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Road, Birnin Kebbi-Bunza Road, Ibi-Wukari Road, as well as vital routes within Lagos, the FCT, and the Niger Delta.

“There is also a heightened risk of damage to homes, businesses, and essential infrastructure in flood-prone and low-lying areas,” the agency noted.

It further warned that farmlands are at risk, which could negatively impact food security in several parts of the country.

NIHSA strongly urged all emergency management stakeholders to initiate preparedness and response measures without delay, while communities in high-risk areas were advised to promptly activate their evacuation plans.

The agency also encouraged Nigerians to stay informed by regularly checking weekly updates on NIHSA’s Flood Dashboard (www.nihsa.gov.ng) and following its official social media platforms.