The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, has disclosed that no fewer than 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory will experience flooding in 2026, with 14,118 communities identified as high-risk nationwide. Utsev made this known in Abuja on Wednesday at the public presentation of the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.
The high-risk communities are located in 266 Local Government Areas based on scientific forecasts and hydrological assessments. The affected states include Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the FCT. Ekiti is the only state not affected by flooding in 2026.
The minister also disclosed that 15,597 communities in 405 LGAs across 35 states face moderate flood risk, while 923 communities in 77 LGAs across 24 states fall within the low flood risk category. He warned of possible flash and urban flooding in major cities, including Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, and Kano, as well as coastal and riverine flooding in Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, and Ondo due to rising sea levels and tidal surges.
Utsev attributed increasing flood incidents to climate variability, rapid urbanisation, inadequate drainage infrastructure, and poor land-use practices. He emphasised that the Annual Flood Outlook is not just a scientific report but a call to action, stating that early warning saves lives and reduces economic losses. He revealed that the Federal Government is strengthening hydrological monitoring through improved data systems, automated river gauges, and advanced modelling techniques.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by Minister of Environment Balarabe Lawal, noted that the 2024 Maiduguri flood marked a turning point toward proactive flood and disaster management. The Anticipatory Action initiative, led by the Office of the Vice-President, is strengthening early warning, preparedness, and coordinated response. The NIHSA Director-General, Umar Mohammed, added that the agency has upgraded its forecasting system to a hybrid AI-integrated model to improve accuracy and lead time.
