The Federal Government has issued a warning about the likelihood of heavy rainfall and flooding in 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, this year.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, made the announcement on Thursday, April 10, during the launch of the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in Abuja.
According to the minister, states at high risk of flooding include: Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the FCT.
He noted that parts of the South-South region—particularly Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers—are expected to experience coastal and riverine flooding due to rising sea levels. Akwa Ibom and Edo were also flagged as high-risk areas.
Utsev emphasized that flooding remains one of the most destructive natural disasters in Nigeria, worsened by the effects of climate change.
This year, 1,249 communities across 176 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the affected states fall within high-risk flood zones. An additional 2,187 communities in 293 LGAs are considered at moderate risk.
Some of the key states facing significant flood threats include Abia, Benue, Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Jigawa.