Lokoja floodThe governments of Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger states have made it clear that they are set to tackle floods as the nation gets into the peak of the 2026 rainy season.
The National Flood Early Warning Centre, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) had earlier forecasted that the three states could experience significant flooding between July and September.
The affected states have therefore lined up measures such as the construction of drainage infrastructure, activation of Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs), public sensitisation campaigns, mapping of vulnerable communities and strengthened collaboration among emergency response agencies to contain the looming floods.
The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo said that the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has adopted a proactive approach to ecological protection and disaster management.
Fanwo said that newly constructed drainage systems in Etahi, Omigbo and Olubojo communities in Ankpa Local Government Area had significantly reduced flooding by efficiently channeling rainwater away from residential areas.
“Our drains are working as designed. Rainwater is being efficiently collected and channelled away, reducing the risk of flooding. Within minutes of heavy rainfall, floodwater drains off, leaving communities safe.”
According to him, the government will sustain investments in critical infrastructure, logistics, intelligence and inter-agency collaboration to safeguard lives and property.
“Kogi is no longer merely reacting to ecological disasters; we are proactively deploying infrastructure that prevents them. This is a new dawn in our approach to flood control.”
This is even as the Executive Secretary, Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Mouktar Atimah said the agency in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), recently convened a stakeholders’ meeting in Lokoja to strengthen preparedness for the 2026 flood season.
He said that Governor Ododo has approved increased budgetary allocations to improve disaster response.
Atimah said that plans have been concluded to establish Emergency Operations Centres across the state, while flood-prone communities were being mapped for early intervention.
Also, Special Adviser to the governor on Emergency Management, Alhaji Muhammed Shaibu said the government has intensified early warning campaigns and inaugurated a seven-member committee to coordinate flood mitigation efforts.
Shaibu said the state is also leveraging the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project to reclaim degraded land and strengthen flood control measures.
He said that Kogi’s location at the confluence of Rivers Niger and Benue makes it particularly vulnerable to flooding.
According to him, floods in October 2024 submerged more than 200 communities and displaced over two million people across nine local government areas, while the 2022 floods affected more than 472,000 residents and destroyed homes and farmlands.
He said that NEMA has called for stronger collaboration with Local Emergency Management Committees, noting that difficult terrain hampered about 63 per cent of emergency response operations during the previous flood season.
“Residents of riverine communities, including Lokoja, Ibaji, Koton Karfe and Bassa, have also been urged to heed early warning messages and relocate to safer locations whenever necessary.”
Director-General of the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), Benjamin Akwah said that the agency has intensified early warning campaigns in the four local government areas identified as flood-prone.
Akwash said that in Lafia NASEMA has strengthened early warning systems, trained community volunteers and enhanced emergency response capacity ahead of the peak rainfall period.
He said that the sensitisation campaign in Awe, Doma, Nasarawa and Toto local government areas formed part of the 2026 Climate-Related Risk Management Preparedness and Mitigation Framework developed by NEMA.
According to him, the initiative is aimed at promoting coordinated action to protect lives and livelihoods during the rainy season.
Akwash noted that the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction and Annual Flood Outlook issued by NiMet and NIHSA identified 23 states, including Nasarawa, as being at high risk of flooding.
He attributed the vulnerability of the affected councils to their proximity to River Benue and reaffirmed the commitment of Gov. Abdullahi Sule’s administration to building a resilient disaster management system.
He appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, women and youth groups, the media and the private sector to support the dissemination of early warning messages across vulnerable communities.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), and other stakeholders have intensified flood preparedness through public sensitisation, emergency response coordination and early warning campaigns.
The measures followed forecasts by NiMet and NIHSA identifying 11 local government areas in the state as highly susceptible to flooding.
The affected local government areas are Agaie, Bida, Borgu, Edati, Gbako, Katcha, Lapai, Lavun, Magama, Mashegu and Mokwa.
Head of Operations, NEMA Minna Operations Office, covering Niger and Kwara states, Hussaini Isah said that the agency has activated the State Emergency Operations Centre in collaboration with NSEMA, security agencies and fire services.
According to him, the centre will coordinate emergency response through information sharing, resource mobilisation, situation monitoring and timely decision-making during disasters.
“Our preparedness today will determine our capacity to protect lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure tomorrow.”
Isah said that NEMA has also assessed the operational readiness of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to identify gaps and strengthen inter-agency collaboration.
On his part,, Director-General of NSEMA, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah said that the state has established an Emergency Operations Centre to enhance disaster management.
He said that the centre is yet to become fully operational due to inadequate personnel but expressed optimism that the challenge would be addressed before the peak of the flood season.
According to him, the Nigeria Police Force have deployed patrol and operational vehicles across the state, while the Niger State Fire Service has 17 fire trucks, 11 of which are operational, alongside ambulances, rescue tankers and utility vehicles for emergency response.
Baba-Arah added that traditional rulers had also pledged to support the flood preparedness campaign by disseminating early warning messages to vulnerable communities.
