Nigeria is reeling from widespread flooding that has claimed 232 lives and displaced more than 121,000 people across several states, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Figures from NEMA’s 2025 flood dashboard (as of September 20) also show that 339,658 people have suffered various losses, 681 injured, and 115 reported missing. The floods destroyed 42,301 houses and wiped out 48,447 hectares of farmland, heightening fears of food shortages.

Worst-Hit States

• Niger State: 163 deaths, 6,041 affected, 1,860 displaced.

• Adamawa: 59 deaths, 57,890 affected, 23,077 displaced, 9,000+ farmlands lost.

• Taraba: 5 deaths, 26,722 affected, 3,080 displaced, 88 injured.

• Yobe, Borno, Gombe & Jigawa: one to two deaths each, with hundreds displaced.

• Lagos: 57,951 affected, 3,680 displaced, 3,244 homes damaged.

• Akwa Ibom: 46,233 affected, 40,140 displaced, 17,000+ homes and farms damaged.

• Imo: 29,242 affected, 15,607 displaced, 81 injured.

• Rivers & Delta: Over 36,000 affected, 12,970 displaced.

In Kaduna, torrential rains displaced nearly 1,000 residents and destroyed 270 homes, while Zaria and Kaduna metropolis were among the hardest hit.

Regional Updates

• Gombe: 986 households displaced, 15 deaths; recent canoe accident claimed 5 lives.

• Sokoto: Floods hit 61 communities in Rabah LGA, destroying 2,200 homes and displacing over 5,300 households.

• Kano: Dozens of homes destroyed by floods and windstorms; fatalities reported.

• Bauchi: State government spent ₦500m to help victims rebuild homes.

• Bayelsa, Abia, Edo, Ondo, Cross River: Thousands displaced, farmlands destroyed.

• Nasarawa: State intensified relocation campaigns; many residents already moved to safer grounds.

• Jigawa: Escaped major displacement thanks to ₦4.2bn flood prevention projects such as river dredging and embankments.

Challenges for Emergency Response

NEMA identified major obstacles:

• Resource shortages (68%)

• Inaccessible flooded communities (17%)

• Security risks in some locations (6%)

• Community resistance to relocation (7%)

Relief Efforts

Emergency agencies at federal and state levels are providing food, shelter, healthcare, clean water, and sanitation for victims. In Kaduna, one flood camp housing 42 households was recently closed after conditions improved.

Governors across affected states, including Kaduna’s Uba Sani, pledged long-term flood mitigation through community sensitisation and infrastructure investment.

Meanwhile, residents in riverine and flood-prone communities have been urged to relocate to safer grounds as heavy rains continue.