30 States May Experience Severe Flooding – NEMA DG

The director-general of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar, has urged state governments to adopt proactive measures to prevent and mitigate the impact of flooding ahead of the 2026 rainy season.

Mrs Umar spoke at the 2026 National Preparedness and Response Campaign on Flood Disaster and Related Hazards held in Yola, Adamawa State.

The campaign, organised by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), involved stakeholder engagement with state and local government officials, volunteers, and media representatives.

The NEMA DG disclosed that predictions indicated that more than 30 states across the country might experience severe flooding during the period.

According to her, states are expected to enforce monthly environmental sanitation exercises, ensure regular clearing of drainage and waterways, strengthen State Emergency Management Agencies, and activate Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) at the grassroots level.

Mrs Umar further revealed that NEMA had developed the 2026 Climate-Related Risk Management, Preparedness and Mitigation Framework to guide coordinated disaster response efforts nationwide.

She added that the agency, through its Flood Early Warning System, had identified flood-risk profiles and produced vulnerability maps for at-risk communities to support disaster risk reduction planning.

The NEMA boss also called on traditional rulers, religious organisations, women and youth groups, the media, and the private sector to support efforts to amplify early warning messages and promote community preparedness.

Responding, Governor Fintiri commended NEMA for its proactive disaster management initiatives and assured that the Adamawa State Government would implement the recommendations provided.

He also appreciated the agency for its consistent interventions and support during emergencies in the State.

In her remarks, Dr Echuseh Audu reaffirmed the Taraba State Government’s commitment to collaborating with NEMA and other stakeholders to safeguard lives and property.

She said Taraba SEMA, under the leadership of Governor Agbu Kefas, had intensified early warning dissemination, community sensitisation and the stockpiling of relief materials across the 16 local government areas of the State to ensure a swift response to anticipated flooding.

“Taraba SEMA remains fully committed to working with NEMA and other stakeholders to safeguard lives and property.

“Under the leadership and directive of His Excellency, Dr Agbu Kefas, Executive Governor of Taraba State, we are intensifying early warning dissemination, community sensitisation and the stockpiling of relief materials across all local government areas to ensure a swift and coordinated response to the predicted 2026 flooding,” she stated.

Participants at the event included officials of Adamawa and Taraba SEMAs, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Hon. Delu Yakubu Bulus, local government officials, representatives of stakeholder agencies, volunteers and members of the media.