NEMA Urges States to Prepare for 2026 Flooding Risks

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned state governments across Nigeria to implement proactive measures to prevent and mitigate flooding, as 30 states are expected to experience serious flooding during the 2026 rainy season. In a statement issued on Wednesday night, NEMA's Director General, Zubaida Umar, urged states to adopt urgent preventive actions to minimize the impact of the predicted floods.

Recommended measures include reintroducing monthly environmental sanitation exercises, regularly clearing drainage systems, and strengthening support for local emergency management agencies. Umar disclosed that NEMA has developed a climate-related risk management framework to respond to flood forecasts nationwide.

The agency's early warning system identifies flood risk profiles and produces vulnerability maps to support disaster risk reduction plans at federal, state, and local levels. Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri commended NEMA for its proactive approach and assured that the state government would carefully consider the recommendations to reduce flood impacts.