The federal government has issued a fresh nationwide flood warning, placing 1,402 communities across 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on high alert over the risk of severe flooding between July 5 and July 18, 2026, as heavy rainfall is expected to batter large parts of the country.
The latest flood prediction, released yesterday by the Federal Ministry of Environment through the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre, identified 987 communities in 21 states as being under critical flood threat, while 415 others spread across seven states and the FCT were classified as high-risk areas requiring close monitoring.
According to the Ministry, the forecast was developed using hydrometeorological data, rainfall signals, community vulnerability assessments and flood risk indicators, warning that many of the identified locations could experience flooding capable of threatening lives, homes, infrastructure and farmlands if preventive measures are not immediately implemented.
Among the states with communities under the highest level of flood threat are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers.
Major cities listed as critical flood hotspots include Lagos, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Calabar, Warri, Aba, Umuahia, Owerri, Enugu, Makurdi, Lokoja, Asaba, Uyo, Yenagoa, Akure, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Osogbo, Awka and Onitsha, among several others.
The Ministry also placed Adamawa, the FCT, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger and Taraba under the high-risk category, identifying hundreds of communities that could witness significant flooding during the forecast period if rainfall intensifies.
In the advisory signed by the Director of the Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department, Usman Abdullahi Bokani, the Federal Government urged residents of communities classified as critical to immediately commence flood preparedness measures.
It advised residents to identify safe evacuation routes, relocate vulnerable persons where necessary, avoid erecting structures or engaging in commercial activities within floodplains, riverbanks and low-lying drainage corridors, and remain vigilant throughout the forecast period.
The Ministry also directed State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), local government authorities, environmental officers and community flood focal persons to intensify surveillance around rivers, drainage channels, bridges, culverts, estuaries and erosion-prone locations to ensure early detection of flood incidents.
Communities classified under the high-risk category were equally advised to embark on aggressive drainage clearance, monitor streams and culverts, report rising water levels promptly and immediately notify the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre of any signs of impending flooding.
The Federal Government further appealed to state governments, relevant agencies and community representatives to provide timely field reports and feedback to enhance continuous monitoring and improve the accuracy of the national flood prediction database.
The latest warning comes amid increasing concerns over the intensity of this year’s rainy season and follows a series of flood advisories issued by federal authorities, raising fears that many flood-prone communities across the country could once again experience devastating flooding if precautionary measures are ignored.
