As relentless rains continue to batter large swathes of the country, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) has issued a stark warning: heavy flooding is projected to hit 198 local government areas across 31 states and the Federal Capital Territory between August 7 and 21, 2025.
The alert comes just 24 hours after the Federal Ministry of Environment’s National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre cautioned residents in 19 states to brace for potentially life-threatening inundations.
In its latest bulletin, NiHSA categorised the risk levels based on rainfall intensity and local topography. States on the watchlist include Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, the FCT, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.
More than 832 communities have been identified as vulnerable, with over 100 key transportation routes at risk of disruption. Low-lying settlements, NiHSA warned, face the greatest threat of displacement.
“We urge residents to remain vigilant, comply with early warning advisories, and cooperate with emergency agencies,”
— Umar Mohammed, Director-General, NiHSA
Mohammed called on state and local authorities to deploy proactive measures, assuring that NiHSA would continue to monitor developments and provide real-time updates through official channels and State Emergency Management Agencies.
In Lagos, the state government has expressed sympathy to Ikorodu residents reeling from Monday’s marathon downpour, which submerged parts of the metropolis and caused widespread property damage.
Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, said the scale of rainfall was “a once-in-decades event” and reiterated the administration’s commitment to completing critical drainage infrastructure to mitigate recurring floods.
“Climate change is real. We are fast-tracking construction projects to reduce the pain and address the root causes of flooding in Ikorodu,” Rotimi-Akodu said during an on-site inspection.
He urged residents to avoid dumping waste into drains and encroaching on road rights-of-way, warning that human-induced blockages exacerbate flooding risks.
Commissioner for Special Duties, Gbenga Oyerinde, noted that a preliminary damage assessment was underway to inform humanitarian interventions. Inspection teams visited several sites, including Gberigbe Road Outfall Channel, Palm Avenue Collector Drain, and communities in Ijede and Igbogbo.
Meanwhile, Labour Party’s 2023 Lagos governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, criticised the state government’s advice for flood-affected Ikorodu residents to vacate their homes.
In a statement by his aide, Adewole Ireti, Rhodes-Vivour described the directive as “a callous abdication of duty” and said government should prioritise emergency relief, not eviction orders.
“Development is not about bridges and flyovers alone; it is about people the woman who lost her shop, the children who slept on wet floors, the families with nowhere to go,” the statement read.
The Lagos State Catfish and Allied Farmers Association (LASCAFAN) has also reported catastrophic losses exceeding ₦150 million following the floods.
Vice President Olatoye Fajimi said over 50 farms in Ikorodu were affected, with thousands of fish swept away overnight by torrents.
“It has been a tale of woes. Farms that had never flooded before were overrun this time. By the time farmers arrived in the morning, most of their stock had been washed into gutters and canals,” Fajimi lamented.
The association is appealing for urgent government intervention to salvage what remains of the sector.
With hundreds of communities on high alert and climate extremes intensifying, Nigeria’s flood preparedness will face a critical test in the coming fortnight.
