The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has identified 12 states and 43 Local Government Areas as high-risk zones for flooding in 2025.
According to NEMAโs Director-General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, this projection follows the devastating floods of 2024, which affected over 5.2 million people and resulted in the deaths of 1,237 individuals across 35 states.
Speaking during an inception meeting with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Abuja, Mrs. Umar highlighted the increasing frequency and severity of floods in Nigeria, particularly in riverine and low-lying regions. The meeting aimed to develop strategies for improved flood response and long-term disaster preparedness.
Representing the Director-General, NEMAโs Assistant Director of Disaster Risk Reduction, Mr. Simon Katu, presented data showing that the 2024 floods displaced more than 1.2 million people, destroyed over 116,000 houses, and damaged nearly 1.44 million hectares of farmland in 401 LGAs. He attributed the disasters to climate change, poor urban drainage systems, and rapid population growth.
Mrs. Umar emphasized that, in addition to the high-risk areas, another 13 states have been classified as low-risk for flooding in 2025. She also addressed the Mokwa flooding disaster, which affected more than 3,000 people, displaced 1,005, and resulted in over 100 deaths, along with many injuries and missing persons.
As part of NEMAโs proactive efforts, a national flood preparedness and response campaign has been launched to engage directly with vulnerable communities. Mrs. Umar stated that the agency has expanded its outreach in 2025 to cover the entire country, compared to 24 states in the previous year. Simulation exercises are also planned for Anambra and Kano States to enhance emergency response capabilities.
JICAโs Project Formulation Advisor, Mr.
Keisuke Matsushita, stressed the importance of timely, collaborative efforts in strengthening Nigeriaโs disaster response systems. He proposed forming a technical committee to develop training frameworks and explore capacity-building opportunities in Japan, pending the Japanese governmentโs approval.
In response, Mrs. Umar announced the formation of a five-member technical committee, chaired by Mr. Idris Abubakar Mohammed, NEMAโs Director of Disaster Risk Reduction. The committee will work with JICA to create a comprehensive disaster management framework and has been directed to begin work early in the following week to ensure swift implementation.
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