Sir: Floods have once again crept into the Nigerian conversation as the rains gather momentum. Each year, communities brace for impact and each year, the losses remind us that preparedness is not optional. The scars of recent disasters remain fresh: submerged villages in Kebbi, washed-out roads in Niger, and families in Yobe who still live under tarpaulins long after the waters receded. These are not distant tragedies; they are lived realities for millions of Nigerians.
Official figures tell a sobering story. Already in 2025, floods have claimed over 200 lives and displaced tens of thousands across 17 states, including Adamawa, Yobe, Anambra, Kebbi, and Kogi. These numbers echo the devastation of 2022, when more than 600 lives were lost and 1.4 million people were displaced. For many farmers, traders, and schoolchildren, the floods are not statistics but personal catastrophes — harvests swept away, shops reduced to rubble, and classrooms turned into makeshift camps.
At the heart of the response is the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). Under the leadership of its Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, the agency has shifted from a posture of reaction to one of preparedness. Instead of waiting for disaster to strike, NEMA has been issuing early warnings, mapping flood-prone communities, and working with state and local authorities to establish contingency plans. Relief stockpiles are being pre-positioned, while volunteers and first responders are undergoing training in high-risk areas.
This shift is vital because the old model of scrambling after tragedy has proven costly and unsustainable. Each year that the rains overwhelm communities, billions are lost in destroyed infrastructure, food insecurity deepens, and families are thrown into cycles of displacement and poverty. The tragedy of 2022 should not just have been a wake-up call; the years ahead must be about staying awake.
Still, preparedness is not NEMA’s burden alone. The challenges of climate change, rapid urbanization, and poor drainage go beyond what any single agency can manage. State governments must invest in proper waste management to prevent blocked waterways, while local authorities need to enforce building regulations that discourage construction on flood plains. Communities, too, have a role to play in heeding evacuation warnings and adopting safer practices. A collective response is the only way forward.
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The stories from the field underline the urgency. In Yola, displaced families recount how entire farmlands were consumed overnight, leaving them with no means of survival. In Birnin Kebbi, children trek long distances to temporary schools after their classrooms collapsed in the floods. In Oguta, Imo State, small-scale traders mourn the loss of their shops, which represented their only source of livelihood. These human tales highlight why flood preparedness must go beyond policy statements — it is about securing lives, livelihoods, and dignity.
Encouragingly, partnerships are beginning to emerge. NEMA has been engaging with international agencies, civil society groups, and the private sector to mobilize resources and expertise. Early warning messages are increasingly being broadcast in local languages through radio, town criers, and community leaders, ensuring that vulnerable populations are not left in the dark. Such grassroots communication can mean the difference between safe evacuation and tragic loss.
Yet, the road ahead is steep. Funding constraints, weak infrastructure, and the unpredictability of weather patterns remain formidable hurdles. For many rural Nigerians, relocation is not an option because their entire existence is tied to the land, however flood-prone it may be. This is why preparedness must be coupled with long-term adaptation — investing in resilient infrastructure, supporting farmers with climate-smart agriculture, and providing social safety nets for displaced families.
What is at stake is not just survival but the ability of Nigerians to live with dignity in the face of recurring floods. NEMA’s evolving approach shows that lessons are being learned, but the task is bigger than any one agency. As the rains continue to fall, the question is whether we, as a nation, will rise above the cycle of panic and pity, and finally embrace a culture of preparedness.
For the families already displaced this year, the answer cannot come soon enough.
