The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to 1,249 communities in 176 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) about the high likelihood of flooding between April and November 2025.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, during the unveiling of the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in Abuja on Thursday.
The states at high risk of severe flooding, include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, and Jigawa.
Other states on the list include Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the FCT.
The Minister expressed grave concern over the rising threat of flooding in the country, emphasizing that the increasing frequency and severity of floods have been exacerbated by climate change.
He also forecasted flooding in coastal and riverine areas, such as Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, and Ondo, due to rising sea levels and tidal surges.
These areas, he said, would face significant disruptions in fishing, wildlife habitation, and river navigation.
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The 2025 AFO report indicates that while 1,249 communities in 176 LGAs fall under the High Flood Risk Areas, 2,187 communities in 293 LGAs across all 36 states and the FCT are categorized as being in Moderate Flood Risk Areas.
Utsev pointed out that flash and urban flooding are expected in major cities, exacerbated by high rainfall intensities, poor drainage systems, inadequate water management facilities, and the lack of flood-resilient infrastructure.
However, the Minister stressed that flooding, unlike certain other natural disasters, can be mitigated through proper planning and the provision of the necessary infrastructure.
He further highlighted that, instead of broad predictions, the government has now refined its forecasts to target specific communities, thus enhancing preparedness and communication at the grassroots level.
Director General and Chief Executive Officer, NIHSA, Umar Ibrahim Mohammed, noted that this year’s flood forecast goes beyond mapping LGAs and now identifies specific communities at risk.
He said: “Our focus has expanded to assess sectoral impacts, on health, education, agriculture, and infrastructure, offering more robust tools to policymakers and disaster risk managers.”
Mohammed added that the AFO’s enhanced methodology is the result of continuous feedback, technological advancement, and broad inter-agency collaboration.
“We are transforming flood data into real-time decisions and impactful resilience-building”, he said.
The 2025 AFO is an innovative flood management strategy as it emphasizes preparedness, science-driven planning, and community empowerment.
As Nigeria braces for the 2025 rainy season, speakers at the event urged state governments, local councils, and at-risk communities to act on the forecast’s insights, strengthen disaster preparedness plans, and participate in national programmes designed to reduce vulnerability and save lives.
