The Federal Government on Sunday issued a fresh warning that no fewer than 32 locations across 11 states may experience heavy rainfall with possible flooding between September 14 and 18, 2025.
The alert, released by the Federal Ministry of Environment’s National Flood Early Warning Centre, was signed by the Director, Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department, Usman Abdullahi Bokani.
According to the notice, the states at risk include Adamawa (Ganye, Natubi); Benue (Abinsi, Agyo, Gogo, Ito, Makurdi, Udoma, Ukpiam); Nasarawa (Agima, Rukubi, Odogbo); Taraba (Beli, Serti, Donga); Delta (Umugboma, Umukwata, Abraka, Aboh, Okpo-Krika); and Niger (Rijau).
Others are Kebbi (Ribah); Kano (Gwarzo, Karaye); Katsina (Jibia); Sokoto (Makira); and Zamfara (Kaura Namoda, Shinkafi, Maradun, Gusau, Anka, Bungudu).
The ministry specifically cautioned that rising water levels in Rivers Gongola, Benue and Niger have heightened the risk, warning communities located on floodplains to evacuate immediately.
“Also, due to a rise in the water level of River Gongola, River Benue, and River Niger, the communities on the flood plains of River Gongola up to Numan, and also communities on the flood plains of River Benue and River Niger up to Lokoja are advised to evacuate immediately. Relevant stakeholders should kindly take note,” the alert read.
The ministry urged state governments, emergency agencies and community leaders to act promptly and provide feedback to help mitigate the expected impact.
This development comes on the heels of torrential downpours in Zaria, Kaduna State, which displaced over 470 children and destroyed at least 270 homes across several communities last week.
Nigeria has in recent years suffered recurring episodes of destructive floods, worsened by climate change, poor urban planning and weak drainage systems.
As of September 4, official figures show that no fewer than 231 people have lost their lives to floods this year, with 114 still missing and 607 others injured, according to the National Emergency Management Agency’s flood dashboard.
Last year alone, flooding across 35 states and 401 local government areas displaced over 1.2 million people, killed 1,237 and left more than 16,000 injured.