In a move to mitigate the impact of impending floods, the Federal Government has announced the commencement of a nationwide flood preparedness and awareness campaign slated for May 2025.
According to Mr. Kunle Awojemila, Deputy Director at the Department of Flood, Erosion Control and Coastal Management under the Federal Ministry of Environment, the initiative will target 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory identified as high-risk flood zones.
“We are starting the flood awareness sensitisation campaign in the first week of May,” Awojemila said in an interview. “In the FCT, we will begin in Dutse, then move to areas like Lokogoma, Lugbe, and others, consequently. Other states will commence their awareness campaigns as well.”
The campaign follows the release of the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.
During its official presentation, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, emphasized the urgency of the campaign, listing states such as Lagos, Delta, Rivers, and Bayelsa among those most vulnerable.
“Flooding remains one of Nigeria’s most devastating natural disasters,” Utsev said, warning that “climate change continues to increase both the frequency and severity of flood events.”
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has stressed the need for grassroots-level emergency preparedness. Its Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, noted, “Sensitising the residents at the grassroots level… would go a long way in mitigating the adverse impact of flood disaster.”
NEMA recently concluded a five-day community-focused campaign in Ekiti State under the GEPAD programme, reaching flood-prone areas like Ikere and Ido Ekiti.
“Despite ongoing response efforts, many communities remain unaware of basic preparedness measures and response strategies as regards flood disasters,” Umar added.
In 2024 alone, over 1.3 million Nigerians were affected by floods, with 321 deaths and widespread property and agricultural losses.