FG Alerts of Flooding in 30 States, FCT, Affecting 1,249 Communities
The Federal Government has notified 1,249 communities in 176 Local Government Areas of 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory of the likelihood of heavy flooding between April and November 2025.
This warning was issued by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, during the unveiling of the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency in Abuja on Thursday.
The minister explained that the high flood risk states include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, and Jigawa, among others. The minister decried that flooding remains one of the worst natural disasters in Nigeria, whose frequency and severity are being exacerbated by climate change.
The 2025 Annual Flood Outlook expects coastal and river states such as Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, and Ondo to experience flooding due to rising sea level and tidal surge, and impact fishing operations, wildlife habitat, and river navigation. The outlook also expects flash and urban floods in urban metropolises due to excessive intensities of rain, mismanagement of water facilities, and lack of flood resilience structures.
Key Findings of the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook:
1,249 communities across 176 Local Government Areas in 30 states and the FCT are extremely likely to flood
2,187 communities across 293 LGAs in 36 states and the FCT are moderately likely to flood
Coastal and riverine areas will experience flooding due to sea level rise and tidal surge
Urban flooding and flash are forecasted in big cities by high rainfall intensities and poor water management
The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources emphasized that floods can be managed with proper planning and provision of suitable infrastructure.
He further noted that the flood forecasting has been localized to communities, which supports more actionable communication and preparedness at the community level.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Richard Pheelangwah, urged stakeholders to prioritize early response, that the forecast is not only a matter of numbers, but of saving lives and livelihoods. Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NIHSA, Umar Mohammed, indicated that the flood forecast for this year is beyond locating LGAs and now identifies specific communities vulnerable, giving policymakers and disaster risk managers more robust tools.
2025 Annual Flood Outlook is a new era of flood management in Nigeria focusing on preparedness, science-based planning, and community empowerment. The government has called stakeholders to pre-emptively take actions that will mitigate the impact of flooding and protect lives and livelihoods.
