The Federal Government has warned that many parts of Nigeria may experience flooding in 2026, with several states and communities already identified as high-risk areas.
The warning was made on Wednesday during the presentation of the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook in Abuja by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev. The report was prepared by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency and presented at the State Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.
According to the report, 226 local government areas across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory fall within zones likely to face serious flooding. A total of 14,118 communities were listed under this category. The affected states include Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara, along with the FCT.
The outlook also showed that 405 local government areas in 35 states fall within areas that may face moderate flooding. Ekiti State is the only state not listed in this category.
For areas expected to experience lighter flooding, the report identified 923 communities across 77 local government areas in 24 states. These include Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara.
The minister explained that this year’s flood outlook comes with a new method that focuses on specific communities. This approach is designed to make it easier for authorities to respond quickly when flooding begins.
