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The Federal Government has announced that about 1,249 communities in 176 Local Government Areas across 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory will witness heavy flooding between April and November.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev, disclosed this at the unveiling of the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency in Abuja on Thursday.
Utsav identified the high flood-risk states as Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo and Jigawa.
Others are Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory.
The minister raised concerns that flooding remains one of the most devastating natural disasters in Nigeria, with climate change accelerating its frequency and severity.
He also predicted that coastal and riverine areas such as Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers and Ondo would experience flooding due to the rise in sea level and tidal surge, and this would impact fishing, wildlife habitation and river navigation.
“The 2025 Annual Flood Outlook shows that 1,249 communities in 176 Local Government Areas in 30 States and FCT fall within the High Flood Risk Areas, while 2,187 communities in 293 LGAs in 36 States of the Federation and the FCT fall within the Moderate Flood Risk Areas.
“Flash and urban flooding are projected in major cities in the country due to high rainfall intensities, low attention to the management of water facilities including drainage systems, waterways and lack of flood resilience structures.
“Nevertheless, the flood, unlike other certain natural disasters, can be contained with proper planning and provision of necessary infrastructure. Rather than just general predictions, forecasts are now tailored to specific communities, enhancing actionable communication and preparedness at the grassroots level,” he stated.
Earlier in his address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Richard Pheelangwah, urged stakeholders to prioritise early response.
He said, “This outlook isn’t just about numbers; it’s about protecting lives and livelihoods.”
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NIHSA, Umar Mohammed, noted that this year’s flood forecast goes beyond mapping LGAs and now identifies specific communities at risk.
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. Our focus has expanded to assess sectoral impacts on health, education, agriculture, and infrastructure, offering more robust tools to policymakers and disaster risk managers,” he stated.
The 2025 AFO presentation signals a new chapter in Nigeria’s flood management strategy, one that emphasizes preparedness, science-driven planning, and community empowerment.
