FG Issues Nationwide Flood Alert for 19 States as Rainfall Crisis Deepens

The Federal Government has issued a nationwide flood warning as heavy rainfall is expected to hit 19 states and 76 specific locations over a five-day period from August 5 to 9. The alert, released on Tuesday by the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre under the Federal Ministry of Environment, calls for urgent precautionary action from residents and stakeholders. This warning comes as flash floods have already devastated parts of Ogun and Gombe states, with Lagos, Delta, Plateau, and Anambra among other states affected.

The targeted states include Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Cross River, Nasarawa, Benue, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kano, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Jigawa, Yobe, Zamfara, Sokoto, Borno, and Gombe. Residents in vulnerable communities across these states are being urged to remain alert as previous flood patterns suggest significant risk to life and property.

This latest advisory follows a disturbing pattern of annual floods that have left thousands dead and millions displaced. In 2024, flooding affected over five million people across 35 states, killing 1,237 and displacing more than 1.2 million. This year, Nigeria has already seen devastating events, with Niger State recording the highest death toll. At least 200 lives were lost in Mokwa alone following a dam collapse in May, and continuous rainfall has pushed the death toll in 2025 to at least 191, with 94 still missing. According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), 134,435 people have been affected, 48,056 displaced, and 239 injured. Thousands of homes and farmlands have also been destroyed.

In Ogun State, floods submerged parts of Redemption City along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, trapping residents and churchgoers during the RCCG annual convention. Vehicles were submerged in Estate 15, while some residents resorted to canoes for movement. In Gombe State, four deaths were recorded and nearly 300 households affected by floods and windstorms.

In Lagos, a night of torrential rain turned roads into rivers, disrupting commercial activities and displacing residents in Ikorodu, Lekki, Surulere, Alimosho, and other areas. Viral footage showed residents wading through waist-deep water as calls for lasting infrastructure solutions intensified. Meanwhile, in Delta State, communities in Sapele and Oko began experiencing severe flooding, prompting relocation and government intervention. The state government has established six IDP camps and activated a flood management committee to coordinate response efforts.

Elsewhere, Kebbi, Bauchi, Plateau, and Imo states recorded severe damage from floods. In Kebbi’s Diggi town, residents described the floods as sudden and overwhelming, while in Bauchi’s Dass LGA, 13 houses were destroyed. Plateau State’s Menkaat community saw 50 homes and two schools damaged by storms. In Imo, over 30 villages across Oguta, Ohaji/Egbema, and Owerri West LGAs were affected, displacing many families.

Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor LGAs in Rivers State have also been hit by flash floods, with residents and activists urging the government to declare a state of emergency in affected zones. Environmental experts warn that without long-term investments in infrastructure and flood control, Nigeria will continue to face yearly humanitarian crises.

In response, the Federal Government recently approved the release of intervention funds for flood management. Each of the 36 states and the FCT will receive N3bn, with additional allocations to key ministries and NEMA, which received N10bn to boost emergency response nationwide.

Several state governments are already taking preventive measures. Katsina has designated schools as shelters and trained emergency teams. Bayelsa has credited ongoing drainage projects for averting major floods, while Sokoto has launched a joint assessment mission with NEMA after widespread destruction in multiple LGAs. In Nasarawa, Edo, Benue, and Kaduna, authorities say there has been no major flooding yet, but preparations and sensitisation campaigns are underway.

With more rain forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, federal and state agencies are urging Nigerians, especially those in high-risk areas, to clear drainages, avoid dumping refuse in waterways, and prepare for possible evacuations. As climate change and poor infrastructure continue to compound flood risks, the urgency for coordinated national action has never been greater.