The Federal Government has issued a warning of heavy rainfall expected between 5 and 9 August across 19 states, raising the risk of widespread flooding in 76 locations.
The alert was issued on Tuesday by the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre, under the Federal Ministry of Environment. Authorities urged residents in flood-prone areas and relevant stakeholders to take urgent precautionary measures.
This latest forecast comes as floods have already affected parts of Ogun and Gombe states. Several other states, including Lagos, Plateau, Anambra and Delta, are also reporting damage caused by recent rainfall.
A list of areas identified as high risk includes communities in Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Cross River, Nasarawa, Benue, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kano, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Jigawa, Yobe, Zamfara, Sokoto, Borno and Gombe.
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The Federal Government has expressed concern over the recurring nature of flooding in the country. In 2024 alone, floods affected over five million people across 35 states, resulting in more than 1,200 deaths, the displacement of over 1.2 million people, and significant damage to homes and farmland.
So far in 2025, at least 191 people have died and 94 remain missing, according to a recent report by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The agency also recorded over 134,000 affected individuals across 20 states, with more than 48,000 people displaced, and damage to over 9,400 homes and 9,450 farmlands.
Among the worst-affected states is Niger, where flooding earlier this year claimed 163 lives. In Ogun State, Tuesday’s downpour caused serious disruption in Mowe, where floodwaters submerged parts of Redemption City and left many residents and RCCG convention attendees stranded.
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In Gombe State, authorities reported four deaths and damage to 278 households across several local government areas. Other areas severely impacted include parts of Lagos, where flooding on Monday paralysed movement and submerged several neighbourhoods, including Ijede, Lekki and Surulere.
Delta State has established six temporary camps for displaced persons in anticipation of further flooding, while Katsina and Bayelsa states have activated emergency shelters and flood response teams.
The National Economic Council has approved the release of intervention funds to support flood mitigation and emergency response. Each of the 36 states and the FCT is to receive ₦3 billion, while federal ministries and agencies involved in flood management have also been allocated additional funding.
As rainfall continues across much of the country, environmental experts and relief agencies have called for sustained investment in drainage infrastructure, early warning systems, and community education to reduce the impact of seasonal flooding.
