The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has launched its 2026 flood disaster response campaign in Rivers State as part of efforts to prepare for anticipated flooding across 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The campaign was formally flagged off on Tuesday in Port Harcourt during a stakeholders’ engagement session themed “Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance for a Resilient Nigeria.”
Speaking on behalf of the Director-General, Mrs Zubaida Umar, the Acting Director of the South-South Zonal Directorate, Mr Eric Ebhodaghe, said the initiative was designed to promote early action and coordinated disaster preparedness.
He noted that the annual exercise aims to reduce loss of lives, property, and livelihoods that are often recorded during flooding seasons across the country.
According to him, flooding continues to cause widespread devastation, including displacement of communities, destruction of infrastructure, and loss of livelihoods worth billions of naira.
“These factors are expected to affect key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, transportation, energy, water supply, education, and overall public wellbeing,” he said, citing concerns about climate-related risks.
NEMA said its 2026 flood outlook identified 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory as high-risk areas, covering 132 local government areas nationwide.
It added that an additional 14 states, covering 148 local government areas, were classified as moderate-risk zones.
The agency explained that it had already held expert review meetings to assess the forecast and develop strategies aimed at reducing the impact of possible flooding.
It also warned of likely challenges such as irregular rainfall patterns, shorter agricultural seasons, prolonged dry spells in some regions, and rising temperatures.
To address the risks, NEMA said it had developed a Climate-Related Risk Management, Preparedness and Mitigation Framework for 2026.
The framework includes capacity building for emergency responders, simulation exercises, prepositioning of relief materials, infrastructure assessment, and evacuation planning for vulnerable communities.
It also features the use of flood early warning systems and vulnerability mapping to improve preparedness and response efficiency.
NEMA further disclosed that technical teams would be deployed across the country for community sensitisation and engagement.
The agency called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, women and youth groups, the media, and the private sector to support the dissemination of early warning messages.
In Rivers State, the Head of Emergency and Disaster Management at the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Tamunosiki Ogbanga, said preparations had already begun in flood-prone areas.
He said the state was monitoring high-risk communities and reviewing evacuation plans to minimise the impact of possible flooding.
Ogbanga added that affected residents would be relocated to safer areas when necessary, including temporary Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps where required.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the state government to collaborate with relevant stakeholders in strengthening flood preparedness and emergency response mechanisms.
