Nigeria’s Flood Season: 30,707 Communities at Risk Amidst Urgent DREF Efforts CITY, Nigeria – As Nigeria braces for the peak flood season from July to September 2026, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has identified 30,707 communities across the country facing varying levels of flood risk. This comes as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) prepares to launch an Immediate DREF (Disaster Response Emergency Fund) operation, MDRNG045, to address the anticipated humanitarian crisis.
The 2026 Annual Flood Outlook projects that approximately 250,788 km² of the country could be inundated, with 138,227 km² classified as high-risk areas.
The NIHSA has pinpointed over 14,000 communities across 266 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as being at high flood risk, while an additional 15,500 communities across 35 states are at moderate risk.
The peak flood season is expected to coincide with periods of sustained heavy rainfall and peak river discharge, with the Benue, Kaduna, Gongola, Hadejia — Jama’are, Cross River, and Niger river systems at particular risk.
The anticipated humanitarian impacts include loss of life, displacement, damage to homes, disruption of livelihoods, and an increased risk of waterborne diseases.
The IFRC’s DREF operation will target 16 priority LGAs across eight states, focusing on reducing preventable loss of life through early warning and evacuation preparedness, protecting essential household assets and livelihoods, and strengthening community preparedness and local response capacity.
The impending flood situation underscores the need for coordinated efforts from all stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and the international community, to ensure the safety and well — being of affected populations.
As the country enters the peak flood season, residents in flood — prone areas are advised to be vigilant and follow the advice of authorities to mitigate the impact of the expected flooding.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
—
This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: reliefweb
Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
