.14,118 communities nationwide at high-risk
.As NCDC alerts 10 states on flood-linked cholera, disease outbreak risks
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, says no fewer than 33 states and the FCT will experience flooding in 2026, with 14,118 communities identified as high-risk nationwide.
Utsev disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday at the public presentation of the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).
He said the high-risk communities were located in 266 Local Government Areas (LGAs) based on scientific forecasts and hydrological assessments.
The affected states according to him are Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna and Kano.
Others include Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara, including the FCT.
The minister said that 15,597 communities in 405 LGAs across 35 states would face moderate flood risk, while Ekiti remained the only state not affected.
He added that 923 communities in 77 LGAs across 24 states fell within the low flood risk category.
”States in this 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,” he said.
He warned of possible flash and urban flooding in major cities, including Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Kano.
He said coastal and riverine flooding is expected in Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers and Ondo due to rising sea levels and tidal surges.
”The AFO is not just a scientific report; it is a call to action. Early warning saves lives and reduces economic losses,” he emphasised.
Utsev attributed increasing flood incidents to climate variability, rapid urbanisation, inadequate drainage infrastructure and poor land-use practices.
He revealed that the Federal Government was strengthening hydrological monitoring through improved data systems, automated river gauges and advanced modelling techniques.
He added that collaboration with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were being enhanced to improve forecast accuracy and early warning dissemination.
The minister urged state governments to integrate flood risk considerations into land-use planning, urban development and infrastructure design.
He also called for improved drainage systems, effective floodplain management and stronger community preparedness to minimise impacts.
Earlier, President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, said flooding remained a major national challenge, with recurring incidents recorded since 2012.
Tinubu said his administration had initiated policies and programmes, including flood control projects, to address the persistent threat.
He said that the 2024 Maiduguri flood marked a turning point toward proactive flood and disaster management.
According to him, the Anticipatory Action initiative, led by the Office of the Vice-President, is strengthening early warning, preparedness and coordinated response.
Tinubu described the AFO as a key planning document guiding early action, mitigation and evacuation strategies nationwide.
He urged stakeholders to utilise the forecasts to protect lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure.
The president also emphasised the need to harness water resources to drive economic diversification and sustainable development.
Also speaking, the Director-General of NIHSA, Umar Mohammed, said the forecast was based on comprehensive, data-driven analysis of flood-prone areas.
Mohammed said the AFO served as an early warning tool to support planning and coordinated disaster response nationwide.
He added that the agency had upgraded its forecasting system to a hybrid AI-integrated model to improve accuracy and lead time.
He also said that the Flood Dashboard now enabled real-time monitoring and dissemination of alerts to stakeholders.
He urged residents in vulnerable areas to heed early warnings and adopt preventive measures to reduce risks.
The NIHSA director general called for wider dissemination of the outlook to strengthen preparedness and resilience in communities.
He appreciated the Federal Government and development partners for their support in the preparation of the 2026 outlook.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of the World Meteorological Organisation, NiMet, NEMA, the Minister of Livestock Development, Dr Idi Maiha, and other stakeholders.
.As NCDC alerts 10 states on flood-linked cholera, disease outbreak risks
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has alerted 10 states to a high risk of cholera and other disease outbreaks.
The alert follows forecasts by the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which indicated that parts of Adamawa, Enugu, Kaduna, Kogi, Niger, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba and Kwara States may experience heavy rainfall and flooding between April 13 and April 17.
Dr Jide Idris, the Director-General of the NCDC, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
Idris reiterated that early action, community vigilance, and prompt care-seeking could prevent outbreaks and save lives, noting that the forecast coincides with the seasonal period when cholera cases typically begin to rise in the country, warning that flooding could worsen disease transmission.
According to him, recent surveillance data already show increasing cholera activity across multiple states, raising concern that flood conditions could accelerate outbreaks.
He explained that flooding increases public health risks by contaminating drinking water sources, disrupting sanitation systems, and exposing communities to unsafe environmental conditions.
He warned that beyond cholera, other risks include malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases, infections from contact with contaminated floodwaters, injuries such as drowning and snakebites, as well as disruption of access to healthcare services.
However, he stressed that the risks remain preventable with early action and community vigilance.
He advised residents in at-risk areas to use only safe water for drinking and cooking, including boiling, chlorination, or bottled water, while also maintaining strict hand hygiene practices.
He further urged the public to avoid contact with floodwaters where possible, ensure proper sanitation and waste disposal, and store food safely to prevent contamination.
“Residents are also advised to sleep under insecticide-treated nets and seek immediate medical attention at the nearest health facility if they experience symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, or general illness,” he said.
He called on community leaders and local authorities to support environmental sanitation, drainage clearance, and the dissemination of accurate public health information to prevent outbreaks.
He added that it is working closely with State Ministries of Health and partners to strengthen surveillance systems and enhance preparedness for rapid response in affected areas.
State governments, he said, were also being supported to activate multisectoral response mechanisms, particularly in water, sanitation, and emergency management sectors.
NAN reports that Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease caused by drinking water or eating food contaminated with Vibrio cholerae.
It spreads quickly in areas with unsafe water, poor sanitation, and during flooding, and can cause severe dehydration and death if not treated promptly.
In Nigeria, cholera is endemic and seasonal, with outbreaks occurring almost every year, especially during the rainy and flood seasons.
The disease affects multiple states, often spreading rapidly in communities with limited access to clean water and sanitation.
Its burden is driven by unsafe water sources, poor sanitation infrastructure, flooding, and overcrowding, particularly affecting children, rural communities, and displaced populations.
While preventable and treatable, cholera continues to strain Nigeria’s health system during peak outbreak periods.
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