Flood: NEMA intensifies early warning campaign, seeks stronger inter-agency collaboration

By Edwin Philip, Lafia

LAFIA — The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has called for stronger collaboration among government agencies and other stakeholders to improve preparedness and response to floods and other disasters across the country.

The Director-General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, made the call on Tuesday during the 2026 National Disaster Preparedness and Response Campaign (NPRC) stakeholders’ engagement in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

Umar, who was represented by the North Central Zonal Director of NEMA, Mrs. Bintu Aliyu, said the campaign was designed to promote early warning systems and coordinated action aimed at protecting lives and livelihoods during the 2026 rainy season.

She explained that the campaign, with the theme, “Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance for a Resilient Nigeria,” underscores the need for stronger institutions, clearly defined responsibilities and proactive collaboration at all levels of government.

According to her, the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Annual Flood Outlook issued by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) identified 23 states, including Nasarawa State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), covering 132 local government areas, as high flood-risk zones.

“The recurrent impact of flooding in Nigeria demands an urgent and collective response. Every year, lives are lost, livelihoods are disrupted, and public and private infrastructure worth billions of naira is destroyed.

“Communities also bear the burden of displacement, injuries and the loss of life savings due to unmitigated flood events and their secondary effects,” she said.

Umar disclosed that, in response to the projections, NEMA had developed the 2026 Climate-Related Risk Management Preparedness and Mitigation Framework to guide disaster preparedness nationwide.

She said the framework provides strategies for reducing flood risks through capacity building for emergency responders, simulation and tabletop exercises, strict adherence to weather and flood advisories, pre-positioning of relief materials in high-risk communities, infrastructure integrity assessments, and the development and testing of community evacuation plans.

The NEMA boss also appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, women and youth groups, the media and the private sector to support the agency in disseminating early warning messages to vulnerable communities.

Speaking at the event, the Director-General of the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), Benjamin Akwash, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening disaster preparedness and protecting residents.

Akwash said the administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule had enhanced early warning systems, trained community volunteers and improved emergency response capacity in anticipation of possible disasters.

“Flooding, erosion, windstorms, fire outbreaks and communal conflicts have tested our communities in recent years. We have learned the hard truth that the best disaster response is preparedness before disaster strikes.

“That is the essence of this campaign: Prepare, Take Action, Adapt and Thrive. These four words provide a clear roadmap for building resilience,” he said.

He added that NASEMA would embark on sensitisation campaigns in the three local government areas identified as being at high risk of flooding, with particular focus on riverine communities.

The stakeholders’ engagement was attended by representatives of disaster management ministries, departments and agencies, security organisations and vice-chairmen of local government councils in the state.