The federal government has raised alarm over looming flood threats, warning that 14,118 communities in 266 local government areas across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) face a high risk of flooding.
The affected states include Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara, along with the FCT.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, issued the warning during the launch of the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
In his keynote address, Utsev described the outlook as a vital early warning tool designed to help governments and communities prepare for the flood season.
He stressed that timely access to information can significantly reduce loss of lives, damage to infrastructure, and economic disruption.
According to the AFO, developed by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), more than 15,000 communities are at moderate risk of flooding.
Hundreds of others may experience minimal impact—underscoring the widespread scale of the threat.
States identified under the moderate-risk category include Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Sokoto, Taraba, and Zamfara.
Major cities such as Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, and Ibadan are also expected to face flash and urban flooding due to heavy rainfall, poor drainage systems, and rapid urbanisation.
The minister called on state governments, disaster management agencies, local authorities, farmers, and community leaders to carefully study the flood outlook and take proactive measures ahead of the rainy season.
