NiHSA Issues Flood Warning for 198 LGAs Across 31 States and FCT, Lagos Faces Aftermath

On Thursday, August 7, 2025, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) issued a flood alert warning of heavy flooding risks in 198 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across 31 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from August 7 to August 21, 2025, due to rising river levels and persistent rainfall, as reported by SolaceBase and TheCable. The affected states include Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, FCT, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara, with 832 communities and over 100 major transport routes at risk of disruption. NiHSA categorized flood risks as Very High, High, and Moderate, with very high-risk states including Lagos, Benue, and Rivers. Director-General Umar Mohammed urged residents to stay vigilant, follow NiHSA’s weekly forecasts via its flood dashboard, and cooperate with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), noting that 191 lives were lost to floods in 2025, with Niger State recording 163 deaths, per NEMA.

In Lagos, a 13-hour downpour on Monday, August 4, 2025, caused severe flooding in Ikorodu, prompting the state government to sympathize with residents and pledge humanitarian interventions, as stated by Special Adviser on Environment Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu during an inspection of drainage projects in Gberigbe, Oke-Eletu, and Igbogbo. Rotimi-Akodu attributed the flooding to climate change and encroachments on drainage channels, assuring completion of ongoing drainage infrastructure to mitigate future risks. However, Labour Party’s 2023 governorship candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour criticized the government’s call for residents to vacate floodplains as dismissive, demanding actionable solutions like emergency shelters. The Lagos State Catfish and Allied Farmers Association (LASCAFAN) reported over ₦150 million in losses, with over 50 fish farmers in Ikorodu losing stocks to floodwaters that overwhelmed ponds, per Vice President Olatoye Fajimi. X posts from @MobilePunch (August 5) and @NigeriaStories (July 28) noted similar flooding in Yola, Adamawa, underscoring Nigeria’s broader vulnerability to climate-driven disasters.