The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned that more than 30 states across Nigeria face a high risk of severe flooding during the 2026 rainy season, urging state governments to intensify prevention measures immediately.
NEMA Director-General, Zubaida Umar, issued the alert during a stakeholders’ engagement in Adamawa State, according to a statement released on Wednesday night. She called on governors and local authorities to act swiftly to reduce the potential impact on vulnerable communities.
To mitigate the risk, Umar advised states to revive monthly environmental sanitation exercises, clear blocked drains and waterways regularly, strengthen State Emergency Management Agencies, and ensure Local Emergency Management Committees are fully operational.
The agency has already developed a 2026 Climate-Related Risk Management, Preparedness and Mitigation Framework in response to flood forecasts. Through its Flood Early Warning System, NEMA has mapped flood-prone communities and produced vulnerability profiles for at-risk areas nationwide.
“Through NEMA’s Flood Early Warning System, the agency has identified flood risk profiles and produced vulnerability maps for at-risk communities across the country,” the statement read.
The NEMA chief also appealed to traditional rulers, religious bodies, youth and women’s groups, the media, and the private sector to help disseminate early warning messages and encourage community-level preparedness.
Responding, Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, commended NEMA for its early warning campaigns and disaster preparedness efforts. The statement added: “The Governor assured that the Adamawa State Government would carefully consider and implement the recommendations and advice provided by the DG NEMA to reduce the impact of flooding in the state.”