The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, has disclosed that 226 local government areas (LGAs) across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been identified as high flood risk zones for 2026.
Utsev made this known on Wednesday during the public presentation of the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, held at the State Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He, however, provided a broader breakdown, noting that 14,118 communities in 266 LGAs across the same 33 states and the FCT fall within the high flood risk category.
The affected states are: Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the FCT.
According to the outlook, 405 LGAs in 35 states fall within the moderate flood risk category, with Ekiti State identified as the only state not affected at this level.
Meanwhile, incidents of minimal flooding are projected in 923 communities across 77 LGAs in 24 states. These states include Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Sokoto, Taraba, and Zamfara.
The minister added that this year’s outlook introduces a community-based flood forecasting system, enabling more precise, location-specific predictions to support early response and mitigation efforts.
The event, themed “Smart Water Resources Management: Moving From Oil to a Water-Based Economy,” was attended by key stakeholders, including the Minister of Environment, who represented President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, and the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, among others.
