The Federal Government has issued a major flood alert in Nigeria, warning that 14 states face possible flooding between September 4 and September 8, 2025.
The warning came through the Federal Ministry of Environment’s National Flood Early Warning Centre and was signed by Usman Abdullahi Bokani, Director of the Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department.
According to the statement, at least 43 locations across the country could experience heavy downpours strong enough to trigger flooding.
The ministry urged residents in the affected areas to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions.
Communities in Ebonyi, Cross River, Kano, Zamfara, Taraba, Abia, Yobe, Plateau, Borno, Imo, Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, and Akwa Ibom are directly listed in the warning.
For instance, Ebonyi State’s Afikpo, Kano’s Gwarzo and Karaye, as well as several towns in Zamfara including Anka, Gummi, and Kaura Namoda, are considered high-risk zones.
Other locations such as Umuahia in Abia, Potiskum in Yobe, and Oron in Akwa Ibom are also expected to be impacted.
Meanwhile, Plateau State towns like Langtang, Shendam, and Wase, along with Sokoto, Wamakko, and Isa in Sokoto State, were equally highlighted.
In addition to the nationwide alert, Lagos State raised fresh concerns over the deteriorating state of its coastline.
The state government described the situation around the Lagos Lagoon as a looming environmental and social crisis that demands urgent attention.
The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dayo Alebiosu, told reporters during a briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, that entire communities had already been washed away.
“Coastal erosion has destroyed some communities, including Idotun Village in Ibeju-Lekki, displacing residents and wiping out livelihoods,” Alebiosu revealed.
He further warned that failure to act could lead to a collapse of parts of the Lagoon ecosystem.
To address these growing threats, Lagos will host its first-ever waterfront summit on September 11, 2025. Themed “Pressure on the Lagoon: The Lagos Experience”, the summit is expected to draw over 500 global experts.
According to Alebiosu, the summit will explore long-term solutions, ensuring that Lagos balances development with sustainability.
The Federal Government emphasized that Nigerians must take this alert seriously, as the country continues to face climate-related disasters.
Heavy rainfall, poor drainage, and rising sea levels have been blamed for recurring floods in recent years.
The flood alert in Nigeria is part of broader measures to prepare communities ahead of heavy rainfall.
