The Federal Government has issued a warning of potential flooding in several locations across 10 states, following predictions of heavy rainfall between April 8 and April 12, 2026.

The alert, issued by the National Flood Early Warning Centre of the Ministry of Environment, identified Ebonyi, Anambra, Ogun, Taraba, Cross River, Benue, Imo, Delta, Rivers, and Abia states as likely to experience significant rainfall that may trigger flooding. Communities listed include Onitsha, Atani, Afikpo, Ayetoro, Ikom, Owerri, Port Harcourt, and Umuahia.

The ministry advised residents and local authorities to take precautionary measures to reduce risks to lives and property. Usman Bokani, Director of Erosion, Flood, and Coastal Zone Management, emphasized the importance of early preparedness to mitigate flood impacts.

The ministry’s forecast aligns with earlier warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, which cautioned farmers against early planting after unpredictable rains in February and March 2026. Lagos State had also issued alerts for heavy rainfall and flash flooding as the rainy season approached.

Residents are urged to remain vigilant and follow official updates to ensure safety.

The post FG Issues Flood Alert for 10 States as Heavy Rain Predicted appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred at about 1:30 pm on Saturday while workers were on the site.

Though no life was lost, it was said that seven of the nine workers who were working in the building were rescued with various degrees of injuries, while two of them jumped off the building.

One of the eyewitnesses said, “Getting here, I saw the building collapsing. While some of the workers were able to jump out, others could not as the building collapsed on them.

Another eyewitness who did not want his name in print said, “I heard a loud sound while I was in the house; when I rushed out, I saw the building collapsing. Some persons from this area and passersby started using axes to break through the debris to rescue the victims before the government and police came to join the rescue effort”.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Emeka Kalu, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday afternoon.

Kalu, while describing the incident as unfortunate, said that aside from the initial rescue efforts by residents in the neighbourhood, the authority of the Ikwerre Local Government Area and officials of the Rivers State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, as well as the Ministry of Special Duties, moved in just in time while responding to distress calls.

He said the ministries immediately deployed excavators, a fire truck, and an ambulance to ensure the timely rescue of the victims, some of whom were trapped in the rubble.

Speaking to newsmen at the scene, the State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Evans Bipi, said it is unfortunate to begin the year with a building collapse.

Bipi attributed the incident to the use of substandard materials by the developer, which he said he had warned against in previous cases.

The commissioner said, “It is unfortunate that we are beginning the year with this tragic incident, though no life was lost. This is the 4th building collapse we have witnessed in the state since I assumed office.

“Preliminary investigation at the scene of the incident shows that the building may have collapsed due to the use of substandard materials by the developer.

“Specifically, the use of 12mm rods for decking a building is a clear violation of construction standards. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident, as similar cases of building collapse in the state have been linked to the same cause—the use of inferior materials.”

He also accused the developer of building without a government-approved building plan and ordered that the site be sealed pending an investigation into the cause of the building collapse.

According to the statement, the commissioner has summoned the property owner to report to the Ministry for questioning in tandem with investigations.

He further said, “As a government, we are not happy with the repeated causes of building collapse in the state that have claimed lives, injured several persons, and caused avoidable damages and losses to developers in the state.

“Let me warn that we will no longer condone a situation where some builders will continue to violate the building code, including building without a government-approved building plan and compromising safety standards by using substandard materials in a bid to save cost.”

The post Seven Injured in Rivers Three-Storey Building Collapse appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

This comes barely one week after the collapse of a 3-storey building at the Iriebe axis of the same LGA, although no life was lost in that incident.

An eyewitness, Mr. Jonathan Obey, said the building at Ogbogoro caved in on Monday, November 4, 2024, around 2 p.m. while the contractors were working on the 2nd floor, killing one of them while another narrowly escaped death with severe injuries.

He said a couple of deliberate infractions by the property developer may have caused the building to collapse.

“It’s a building collapse; as we speak, one person is trapped right inside the rubble. When we first came, we tried to rescue the person, but we couldn’t. When we did our investigation, we found out that they used substandard materials to execute the project. We also found out that the foundation was 3 feet for a 2-storey building, which was wrong.

“We also found out that some of the rods used by the builders were of low quality; the decking itself was not chained; there was no centre beam; it was supposed to have a centre beam and a pillar in the middle, but it doesn’t have that. They did not use enough cement in casting the first decking,“ the eyewitness stated.

In the meantime, the Rivers State Government has sealed the premises of the collapsed building and declared the property developer, Vincent Nwoye, wanted over the tragic incident.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi, during an on-the-spot inspection of the collapsed building, accused the developer of gross negligence and default of the extant building laws and regulations of Rivers State.

He cited failure by the property developer to obtain a government-approved building plan and use of substandard materials as the cause of the building collapse and avoidable death.

“We have repeatedly warned that if you are caught building without a government-approved building plan, you will certainly face the penalty.“.

“The government has sealed this property in question and declared the owner wanted because a life has been lost; we need to question him to know why he chose to use substandard materials to execute the project and why he decided to use a 12mm rod for a 2-storey building.

“It would interest the public to know that even the property does not have government approval; it is something the government will not take lightly; we will use this developer as a scapegoat for others to learn“.

Hon. Evans Bipi also described the incident as one-too-many while warning property developers to desist from cutting corners and endangering the lives of innocent contractors.

He said the Rivers State Government sympathises with the bereaved family and the people of Ogbogoro Community over the unfortunate incident.

“Last week, we were at the site of a collapsed 3-storey building at Iriebe; though no life was lost in that incident, in this case a life was lost here in Ogbogoro. We truly sympathise with the family and the Ogbogoro Community where the victim resides. We are going to take him to the mortuary and notify the family; we are also going to disclose the mortuary so that the family members can identify and recover his remains for burial.

“This should serve as a warning to those who build without a building plan and to those who build with substandard materials.“

On his part, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Samuel Anya, expressed sadness over the loss of life in the building collapse due to the unethical and reckless practices of the property developer.

He accused the property developer of prioritizing profits over the safety of the construction workers and prospective tenants.

The post Building collapse kills one, injures many in Rivers appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

This is contained in the NBS report on IGR at State Level for 2023.

The report said the 2023 IGR grew by 26.03 per cent when compared to the N1.93 trillion recorded in 2022.

The bureau said taxes sub-category recorded in the period are Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Direct Assessment, Road taxes, Stamp duties, Capital gain tax, Withholding taxes, Other taxes and LGAs revenue.

According to the report, the leading states in total IGR in 2023 were Lagos, FCT and Rivers with N815.86 billion, N211.10 billion and N195.41 billion, respectively.

“The least three performing states during the year were Taraba, Yobe and Kebbi with the value of N10.87 billion, N11.19 billion and N11.74 billion, respectively.”

The report said PAYE was the most contributing revenue source in 2023 at N1.24 trillion which represented a 63.83 per cent share of the total taxes collected nationwide.

The bureau said capital gains tax generated the least in 2023 with N5.91 billion.

The report said total taxes to total IGR stood at about 80 per cent nationally.
NAN

The post 36 states, FCT generate N2.4trn IGR in 2023 appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

In a nationwide update, at least 20 states have commenced or are set to begin payment of the recently approved N70,000 minimum wage to their workers this week.

 

This increase, up from the previous N30,000, was achieved through negotiations between the federal government, organized private sector, and labor centers, leading to a signed agreement on July 18 and subsequently into law on July 29 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

 

Following the wage adjustment guidelines issued by the Federal Government’s consequential adjustment committee, chaired by Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) Mrs. Esther Walson-Jack, states have progressively joined in adopting the new wage. While many states are aligning with the Federal Government’s rate, some states, including Lagos and Rivers, have announced even higher minimum wages, with top figures reaching N85,000.

 

 

State-by-State Payment Overview: Numerous states, such as Bayelsa, Niger, Enugu, and Akwa Ibom, are leading with an N80,000 minimum wage. Abia, Adamawa, and others are maintaining the N70,000 baseline, while a few states, such as Lagos, have opted for a more generous minimum of N85,000. This increase has been largely attributed to recent boosts in federal allocations, reportedly averaging N1.1 trillion monthly since June 2023.

 

State Responses and Labor Commentary: Deputy Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Tommy Okon, called out governors delaying wage implementation as “insensitive” given the increased state revenues. Okon noted that states receiving augmented allocations have “no excuse” to delay wage increments.

 

Regional Wage Announcements:

• Bayelsa: Governor Douye Diri has approved an N80,000 minimum wage effective November 1, along with a significant allocation to address outstanding pension liabilities.
• Ebonyi: Governor Francis Nwifuru announced an N75,000 wage during a mass in Abakaliki, emphasizing the economic relief it would bring to workers.
• Abia: Information Commissioner Okey Kanu confirmed that Abia’s N70,000 minimum wage will be implemented within days, reflecting the government’s commitment to worker welfare.
• Enugu: Governor Peter Mbah highlighted labor as a key economic driver, backing the N80,000 wage for the state’s workforce.
• Anambra: Governor Chukwuma Soludo assured that after deductions, workers would receive no less than N70,000.

 

Some states, such as Osun, are in the final stages of negotiations, while others, including Benue, are still deliberating on a suitable rate.

 

This wage update continues to highlight both state compliance and challenges in achieving uniform wage standards across Nigeria, with a clear message from labor advocates for all states to ensure timely compliance with the new wage structure.

The post 20 States Commence New Minimum Wage Payments to Workers appeared first on Housing TV Africa.