FG Launches 2026 Annual Flood Outlook as 10 States Face Immediate Flood Risk

The Federal Government has put Nigerians on notice: flooding season is here, and it is going to be bad.

The 2026 Annual Flood Outlook was launched on Tuesday at the Aso Villa in Abuja, with President Bola Tinubu expected to preside over the event. The outlook, produced by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), is the government’s yearly attempt to tell people where the water will rise before it actually does.

This year it matters more than usual. Nigeria is already dealing with security crises across multiple regions, and the Iran war is squeezing budgets at every level. Flooding does not care about fiscal constraints.

10 states on immediate watch

A separate flood warning from the Federal Ministry of Environment, dated April 8 and signed by Usman Bokani of the Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department, identified 10 states at risk of heavy rainfall and flooding between April 8 and April 12.

The affected states: Ebonyi, Anambra, Ogun, Taraba, Cross River, Benue, Imo, Delta, Rivers, and Abia. Specific communities were named in each state. In Anambra, for instance, the warning covers Atani, Iyowa Odekpe, Odekpe, and Onitsha. In Taraba, the list includes Donga, Kwata Kanawa, Lau, Serti, Takum, and Yorro.

This is not vague. These are real places with real people who need to know the water is coming.

States that are already moving

Some states are not waiting. Anambra, Delta, Bayelsa, and Osun have started clearing drainages, identifying relocation centres, and getting early warning systems to flood-prone communities.

Lagos separately warned residents in March about heavy rainfall and flash flooding. NiMet also told farmers to hold off on early planting after “deceptive” rains in February and early March looked like the start of the season but were not sustained enough for seeds to take.

Why this year feels different

Nigeria floods every year. The question is whether the government can respond while it is already fighting on multiple fronts. Defence spending is up. Debt servicing eats a growing share of revenue. The Iran war has added fuel costs and supply chain pressure.

The communities in the flood zone are being warned. Whether they have the means to prepare, or the government has the resources to help when the water comes, is a question that will not be answered by an outlook document.

Sources: Punch, Channels TV, The Whistler, NIHSA