The Federal Government is set to begin a nationwide flood awareness campaign in May 2025 to educate Nigerians on flood risks and safety measures, targeting 30 high-risk states and the Federal Capital Territory.
This was revealed by Mr. Kunle Awojemila, Deputy Director at the Department of Flood, Erosion Control and Coastal Management, Federal Ministry of Environment, in an interview on Sunday.
He said the campaign would kick off in the first week of May, starting in Dutse, FCT, before moving to other flood-prone areas like Lokogoma and Lugbe. Other states are also scheduled to begin similar awareness drives.
According to the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook presented by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, about 1,249 communities across 176 LGAs in 30 states and the FCT are at risk of significant flooding between April and November.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, listed the at-risk states, which include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the FCT.
Utsev noted that climate change is intensifying flood occurrences, particularly in coastal and riverine states such as Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, and Ondo, which are at increased risk due to sea level rise and tidal surges. These floods are expected to disrupt fishing, wildlife, and inland water transport.
Data from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) shows that in 2024, floods affected 217 LGAs across 34 states, displacing 740,734 people, injuring 2,854, killing 321, and impacting over 1.3 million individuals. Thousands of hectares of farmland were also destroyed.
NEMA’s Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, stressed the importance of grassroots preparedness during a closing event of a five-day sensitisation campaign in Ado Ekiti. Represented by Dr. Kofoworola Soleye, Head of NEMA’s Ekiti Operations Office, Umar highlighted the need to bridge the knowledge gap in flood-prone communities.
She said the campaign under the NEMA-GEPAD initiative focuses on direct community engagement, advocacy, and hands-on training to educate residents on hazard exposure, evacuation procedures, and emergency response.
During the outreach, NEMA teams visited high-risk areas in Ikere Ekiti and Ido/Osi, where they collaborated with local leaders to spread critical information. Residents were urged to relocate to higher ground once flooding signs appear and to stay alert during the rainy season.
The government reiterated that proactive preparedness and community involvement remain essential to reducing the devastating impact of floods across Nigeria.
