The devastating floods in Mokwa, Niger state, have sent fears across the country, especially in states and communities predicted by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) to be affected. BENJAMIN SAMSON in this report speaks with experts on what communities and the government can do to mitigate recurrence.
Forecasts
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, had in April unveiled the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook, which indicated that 1,249 communities across 176 local government areas in 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) fell within the high flood-risk areas in 2025.
The states, which the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) identified as high flood risks, were Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo and Jigawa. Others are Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.
“According to the forecasts, 657 communities in 52 council areas are expected to experience high flood risks between April and June; 500 and 54 communities in 142 local councils between July and September and 484 communities in 56 local councils from October to November.
“Moderate flood risk is projected for 445 communities in 116 local councils from April to June, 1,458 communities in 271 local councils from July to September, and 1,473 communities in 171 local councils between October and November,” the minister said.
Proactive measures
Speaking with this reporter, the Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Dr. Kante Pkantisawa, urged Nigerians to pay closer attention to the seasonal climate prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) and NHSA.
He said, “The floods in Mokwa are a stark reminder of the impact of climate change and the need for proactive measures. There is no gainsaying the fact that, throughout the country, communities and opinion leaders must take more seriously the Seasonal Climate Prediction by NiMET as well as the Annual Flood Outlook released yearly by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.
“It is also important to speed up the desiltation of existing water bodies while rapidly creating new water-harvesting structures to reduce the flow and damage caused by run-off water but taking advantage of it in agricultural production.”
He highlighted the need for trauma counselling for those who lost family members and the restoration of livelihoods devastated by the floods.
“This is a most difficult time for the families of the victims, their neighbours, and indeed their communities. My heart goes out to those that have lost their loved ones, along with their properties, including agricultural produce.
“Infrastructure has also been damaged by the deadly floods. I pray that the Almighty will console the bereaved and lighten their grief,” he said.
Funding
Likewise, an environmentalist and human rights activist, Dr. DuroRasak, described the recent Mokwa floods as a “predictable tragedy.” He called on the authorities to increase the ecological funds to states in view of the impact of climate change.
“The recent flood disaster in Mokwa, Niger state, stands as a tragic reminder of the devastating impact of environmental and infrastructural neglect, and poor disaster preparedness compounded by climate change.
“The flash floods, triggered by intense rainfall beginning early on May 28, have exacted a heavy human toll and left the Mokwa community grappling with trauma, loss, and uncertainty.
“With confirmed deaths put at over 200, some estimates are suggesting the death toll could be significantly higher, up to 700, due to many victims being swept into the Niger River. Over 3,000 people have been displaced, more than 265 houses destroyed, and 503 households impacted. Critical infrastructure, including three bridges, was washed away, cutting off traffic between the northern and southern parts of the country,” he said.
Continuing, he said, “Beyond fatalities, the floods have displaced thousands, destroyed homes and livelihoods, and disrupted the local economy.
“Many areas in Nigeria, including Mokwa, suffer from inadequate drainage infrastructure. Existing drainage channels are often clogged with waste, preventing proper water runoff. Rapid and unregulated urban expansion has led to construction in flood-prone zones, reducing the land’s natural ability to absorb water.
“The clearing of vegetation for agriculture and development has diminished the land’s capacity to retain rainfall, increasing surface run-off and flood risk.
“The federal governments and the National Assembly should review the Derivation and Ecological Fund accruing to states. It currently stands at 1.0 per cent of the Federation Account. It should be increased considering the projected impact of climate change.”
Vigilance
In his view, the National Coordinator of the United Nations Development Programme, Global Environment Facility, Small Grants Programme (UNDP GEF SGP), Mrs. Ibironke Olubamise, urged communities to remain vigilant, drawing lessons from past experiences, and not to underestimate the devastating impact of flooding.
“We must improve our strategies and develop clear evacuation plans, including identifying alternative routes for movement,” she said.
According to her, this would also help reduce the pressure on emergency response efforts should flooding occur.
“It is essential to enforce compliance with safety guidelines within communities to ensure people adhere to early warnings and advice provided by authorities,” she said further.
Olubamise stressed that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) could support communities by providing first aid kits in anticipation of potential flooding, rather than waiting until disaster strikes.
“NEMA can also explore traditional knowledge and practices that communities have historically used to prepare for and manage heavy rainfall.
“Relevant agencies should incorporate such indigenous practices to ensure that accurate, timely, and adequate information is disseminated to communities.”
Further admonitions
Also, a lecturer in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Oluwafemi Odunsi, said existing urban planning frameworks in Nigeria are outdated, poorly implemented, and disconnected from modern climate realities.
He said, “Nigeria’s urban planning policies are comprehensive on paper, but their impact is weakened by corrupt practices, technical barriers, underfunding and bureaucratic inefficiencies, we still have many informal settlements, slums and shanties because most of our cities are still without development plans. Those with plans have them poorly implemented. We could only point to Lagos and Abuja as having some reflections of urban planning.”
Odunsi noted that flood risk is not adequately addressed in current policies, as there is no standalone flood management legislation or integration between urban planning and disaster risk reduction frameworks.
“As it stands, current urban planning policies in the country did not adequately address flood risks. They have only established guidelines for restrictions on floodplains and flood risk zones, which partially address flood hazards and exposure. Also, there is the lack of flood specific legislation as a standalone flood management policy in Nigeria.
“In general, no integrative legislation exists on disaster management and urban planning. This gap was once presented in our article we argued that there has been no concrete evidence by law for the direct involvement of urban planning agencies and bodies in disaster management, what we have is only the framework establishing institutions like NEMA, State Emergency Agency (SEMA) and Local Emergency Management Authority (LEMA) at the federal, state, and local government levels, respectively.”
He recommended the adoption of integrated policy strategies that will address urban planning and flood risk management from standardised.
“They should holistically address flood hazard, exposure and vulnerability as well as adaptive capacities from a sustainable urban planning perspective. This will ensure that Nigeria has comprehensive and strategic planning instruments to take proactive decisions and actions. In particular, to mitigate flood risks, we need holistic contemporary planning interventions that involve building sustainable and climate resilient cities. We can emulate the Global North by developing green cities, sponge cities, smart cities, digital twin cities, and circular economy cities.
“We need holistic contemporary planning interventions that involve building sustainable and climate-resilient cities. For instance, the sponge and green city ideas come with the solutions of using nature-based strategies to manage water sustainably, reduce flooding, and improve urban resilience,” he explained.
An urban planner, Temiloluwa Ajayi, said while NEMA has made commendable efforts in emergency preparedness including early warning alerts, community sensitisation and collaboration with relevant agencies the underlying issues that make flooding worse in the cities linked to how we plan or don’t plan our urban spaces remain largely unaddressed.
He said poor land use practices, construction of flood prone areas and a lack of basic infrastructure like drainage systems continue to expose many communities to the dangers of seasonal flooding.
“It’s important that flood preparedness isn’t seen as just the responsibility of emergency agencies, planners, engineers, local government and even community members all have a role to play. If we don’t plan our cities with climate resilience in mind, these flood cycles will keep repeating. Real resilience comes out just from reacting to floods but from building cities that are designed to handle them.”
Ajaiy added that the failure of zoning regulations, especially in Lagos as a major contributor to the problem.
“Zoning speaks to setting boundaries for building development but in Lagos, due to greed and non compliance developers erect structures indiscriminately without checking if the land is in a flood prone area,” Ajayi said.
He further pointed out that inadequate drainage infrastructure is often a result of unregulated development as building permits are supposed to be contingent on designs that include drainage plans but corruption within regulatory agencies often undermines this process.
“This should be the normal way but there are so many loopholes in the approval system, as government officials who are expected to regulate this are deeply involved in their corrupt practices will continue to expose us to flood vulnerability.”
He noted that while the necessary regulation already exists, stronger enforcement and a shift toward climate resilient planning are critical. “Flood preparedness should not be left to emergency agencies alone. The government must match its awareness with real action in urban development to prevent recurring disasters and unnecessary relief spending.”
NEMA’s assurances
Also, the Head of Operations at the Lokoja NEMA office, Musa Aliyu, told this reporter that the agency had launched a series of awareness campaigns and community sensitisation drives to encourage proactive flood prevention measures across Kogi state.
He said local communities and landlord associations are being urged to begin clearing their drainage systems immediately to reduce the risk of urban flooding.
“We’ve started a series of sensitisation campaigns across our jurisdiction. It’s crucial that residents take early action, especially by clearing drains before the rains intensify,” he said.
As part of its emergency preparedness strategy, he said they were also engaging security forces to ensure swift response in the event of flood-related disasters.
“The aim was to seek their support in case there’s a need for emergency evacuation of trapped flood victims. Similar engagements are being planned with Disaster Response Units (DRUs) in Nasarawa, Benue and Plateau states to bolster regional response capacity.”
He emphasised that collaborative efforts between communities, local authorities, and the military would be key to minimising the impact of potential flood events in the region.