NEMA Uncovers 12 States, 43 LGAs At High Risk Of Flood Disaster In 2025
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says it has identified that 12 states and 43 Local Government Areas as high-risk areas for flooding in 2025.
The Director-General of the agency, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, who stated this, confirmed that 5,264,097 people were also affected by flooding across Nigeria in 2024.
The 2024 incident resulted in the loss of 1237 lives and widespread destruction across 35 states.
Speaking during an inception meeting between NEMA and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on emergency flood response in Abuja, Umar highlighted the growing scale and impact of flooding in Nigeria, particularly in riverine and low-lying communities.
The meeting focused on strategies to strengthen flood disaster management and enhance long-term capacity building.
Giving a presentation on behalf of the DG, the Assistant Director of Disaster Risk Reduction, Mr. Simon Katu, said the 2024 floods led to the displacement of over 1.2 million persons, with the destruction of 116,172 houses and 1,439,296 hectares of farmland across 401 Local Government Areas.
“There was widespread flooding in 2024 and early 2025 in 35 states, leading to the loss of lives, destruction of critical infrastructure including roads, bridges, and health facilities, and major disruptions in livelihoods,” Katu stated.
He attributed the severity of the floods to climate change, poor urban drainage systems, and increasing population pressure, which have compounded the vulnerability of many Nigerian communities.
Mrs. Umar further disclosed that 12 states and 43 LGAs have been identified as high-risk areas for flooding in 2025, while another 13 states fall within the low-risk category.
On the Mokwa flooding disaster, she reported that over 3,000 people were affected, with 1,005 displaced, over 100 lives lost, and many others injured or missing.
As part of proactive measures, Umar announced the launch of a national preparedness and response campaign to engage communities directly. “Last year, we visited 24 states. This year, we have covered the entire country and reached out to vulnerable communities to enhance preparedness and resilience,” she said.
She also announced that simulation exercises will be conducted in Anambra and Kano States to boost emergency response capacities.
In his remarks, Mr. Keisuke Matsushita, Project Formulation Advisor for JICA, emphasized the need for swift and collaborative action to enhance Nigeria’s disaster response systems. He proposed setting up a technical committee to work out modalities for capacity building in Japan, subject to approval by the Japanese government.
“We are keen on a long-term partnership. We need to improve how we respond quickly to emergencies. While we can’t finalize everything at this meeting, we are open to further discussions on procedural agreements and logistics between JICA and NEMA,” Matsushita said.
He also reiterated JICA’s commitment to supporting training programmes in disaster management, highlighting the frequency and intensity of flooding disasters in Nigeria as a key concern.
In response, Mrs. Umar established a five-member technical committee, chaired by Mr. Idris Abubakar Mohammed, NEMA’s Director of Disaster Risk Reduction. The committee is tasked with interfacing with JICA and developing a comprehensive framework for training and support.
She urged the committee to commence work early next week to ensure timely execution of their mandate.