The governments of Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger states have intensified flood-preparedness measures ahead of the peak of the 2026 rainy season, following forecasts identifying the states among areas at high risk of severe flooding.

The renewed efforts followed warnings by the National Flood Early Warning Centre, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) that the three states could experience significant flooding between July and September.

A survey on Monday revealed that the measures include 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.

Despite the improved preparedness, concerns remain over the utilisation of ecological funds.

In Kogi, Kingsley Fanwo, the commissioner for information and communications, said the administration of Governor Ahmed Ododo had adopted a proactive approach to ecological protection and disaster management.

Mr Fanwo said newly constructed drainage systems in Etahi, Omigbo and Olubojo communities in Ankpa Local Government Area had significantly reduced flooding by efficiently channelling 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,” he said.

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,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mouktar Atimah, executive secretary of the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), 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 Mr Ododo had approved increased budgetary allocations to improve disaster response.

Mr Atimah disclosed that plans had been concluded to establish emergency operations centres across the state, while flood-prone communities were being mapped for early intervention.

Also, Muhammed Shaibu, special adviser to the governor on emergency management, said the government had intensified early warning campaigns and inaugurated a seven-member committee to coordinate flood mitigation efforts.

Mr Shaibu said the state was also leveraging the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project to reclaim degraded land and strengthen flood control measures.

He recalled 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 NEMA had 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,” he said.

In Nasarawa State, Benjamin Akwah, director-general of the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), said the agency had intensified early warning campaigns in the four local government areas identified as flood-prone.

Mr Akwah said in Lafia that NASEMA had strengthened early warning systems, trained community volunteers and enhanced emergency response capacity ahead of the peak rainfall period.

He said 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.

Mr Akwah 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 Governor 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.

In Niger, NEMA, 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.

Hussaini Isah, head of operations, NEMA Minna operations office, covering Niger and Kwara states, said the agency had 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,” Mr Isah said.

He added that NEMA had also assessed the operational readiness of relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to identify gaps and strengthen inter-agency collaboration.

On his part, Abdullahi Baba-Arah, director-general of NSEMA, said the state had established an Emergency Operations Centre to enhance disaster management.

He, however, said the centre was 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 has 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.

Mr Baba-Arah added that traditional rulers had also pledged to support the flood preparedness campaign by disseminating early warning messages to vulnerable communities. 

(NAN)