In Nigeria, floods destroy houses, farmlands, and properties worth billions of naira every year across different states. This problem has persisted for decades, yet many communities continue to suffer its devastating impact. Whenever the rainy season begins, especially in Northern Nigeria, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) usually issues high-level warnings.
Despite repeated alerts and calls for preventive measures, this year alone NiMet recorded several cases of severe flooding, including one in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, which killed more than 200 people and left thousands homeless.
The flood, caused by heavy rainfall and rising water levels from nearby rivers, claimed over 206 lives, displaced 3,534 people, and destroyed more than 400 homes, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The scale of destruction has raised serious concerns among governments as well as local and international organizations.
Most recently, a flood in Adamawa State left several people dead and displaced hundreds. Preliminary findings from NEMA’s assessment showed that 14 communities were affected, impacting more than 578 households and submerging about 350 hectares of farmland.
The world will not forget what happened in September 2024, when another devastating flood killed 230 people in Borno State and displaced more than 600,000. Similarly, in 2022, widespread flooding across Nigeria affected 34 of the 36 states, killed hundreds, and displaced more than 1.3 million people, according to a UN report.
NEMA’s 2024 situational report further revealed that floods affected 211 LGAs in 34 states, impacting 1,346,413 people, killing 320, displacing 729,310, and destroying 119,690 houses as well as 194,637 hectares of farmland across the country.
Why does the menace persist?
The big question remains: why does this menace persist despite warnings from experts, government agencies, and international organizations?
Communities are repeatedly warned not to build on waterways, urged to clear their gutters, and advised to take preventive measures. Yet, once the rains begin, floods ravage different parts of the country.
A recent report by the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) linked the worsening severity of floods in Africa to climate change and rising surface and water temperatures.
Just last month, NiMet issued a flash flood risk alert across major Nigerian cities.
The agency identified 16 states at risk, including Sokoto, Kaduna, Zamfara, Yobe, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Adamawa, Taraba, and Niger. It urged communities to remain vigilant and take precautions such as relocating when necessary, clearing drainage systems, preparing emergency kits, switching off electricity and gas during floods, and reinforcing measures against mudslides.
Expert’s perspective
Climate change expert Dr. Aliyu Umar Tambuwal of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, explained that the crisis can be traced to both governance and community factors.
He stressed that when weather forecasts are released, governors and local government chairmen must ensure recommendations are implemented, especially relocating people living along waterways.
“The governments should also collaborate with media houses to consistently sensitize and enlighten people. Some ignore warnings, insisting nothing will happen. Others resist relocation because their families have lived on the land for centuries, making it emotionally difficult to leave. Such people must be enlightened to understand the dangers,” Dr. Tambuwal noted.
He further warned that some governments act only after disasters strike, rather than implementing preventive measures.
Challenges identified
Dr. Tambuwal highlighted poor implementation of early warning systems, lack of trust in weather forecasts, inadequate evacuation plans, and poor environmental sanitation as major drivers of recurring floods in Nigeria.
He also identified lack of regular inspection and dredging of dams and reservoirs as a critical factor, citing the cases of Borno and Mokwa as examples of disasters worsened by neglect.
The way forward
According to Dr. Tambuwal, Nigeria can only overcome its flood crises if proactive measures replace reactive responses. He recommended:
- Prompt relocation of high-risk communities when forecasts signal danger.
- Prioritization of preventive measures at all levels of government.
- Sustained enlightenment campaigns in local languages through media and community leaders.
- Regular clearing and maintenance of drainages, waterways, and dams.
- Strict enforcement of waste management to prevent blocked drainages.
- Consistent inspection and dredging of reservoirs by responsible agencies.
Food security at risk
Flooding not only destroys homes but also farmlands, worsening hunger and malnutrition. Farmers are left in grief as climate shocks threaten Nigeria’s food production.
The country faces a double threat—periodic droughts and floods—which negatively impact agricultural output and deepen the vulnerability of rural communities.
In its latest report, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned that insecurity, inflation, and climate impacts are pushing 30.6 million Nigerians into acute hunger.
The report further stated:
“Crises in the northeast have displaced 2.3 million people and left nearly 5 million facing acute food insecurity, with limited access to assistance in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states. Three million of them are in Borno State, the epicenter of insurgency.”
