Floods in Nigeria claim nearly 200 lives and devastate farmland, heightening concerns over food insecurity

Weeks of relentless flooding in Nigeria have claimed nearly 200 lives and swept away homes and farmlands, further jeopardizing the nation’s food supply, particularly in the already vulnerable northern region, according to the country’s disaster management agency.

The flooding, which officials attribute to poor infrastructure and neglected dam maintenance, has killed 185 people and displaced 208,000 across 28 of Nigeria’s 36 states, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reported. As the crisis worsens, authorities are racing against time to evacuate hundreds of thousands to makeshift shelters.

While Nigeria experiences annual flooding, these events are often exacerbated by the country’s failure to adhere to environmental guidelines and its inadequate infrastructure. The 2022 floods, the worst Nigeria had seen in a decade, resulted in more than 600 deaths and displaced over 1 million people.

This year, however, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had predicted delayed or average rainfall in most parts of the country, suggesting that the current floods are more the result of human activity than extreme weather patterns.

“We’re causing this climate change, which has led to a shift from the norm,” said Ibrahim Wasiu Adeniyi, head of NiMet’s central forecasting unit. “Some people dump refuse indiscriminately, while others build houses without proper approvals along waterways,” he added, pointing to human actions that have exacerbated the flooding. The flooding could worsen in the coming weeks as water flows southward, the national disaster response agency warned.

“People in flood-prone areas need to evacuate now … we’re running out of time,” said Manzo Ezekiel, a spokesperson for NEMA.

In Jigawa, the hardest-hit state, the floods have claimed 37 lives and inflicted what local authorities describe as “devastating” damage. Public buildings and schools are being converted into shelters for those displaced, according to Nura Abdullahi, head of the state’s emergency services.

So far, the floods have destroyed 107,000 hectares of farmland, particularly in northern states where much of Nigeria’s food is produced. The loss of crops is expected to significantly impact food supplies, further aggravating the country’s food insecurity.

Many farmers in the region were already struggling to cultivate their lands due to a combination of economic hardship and violent attacks that have driven them from their homes. The recent floods have only worsened the situation, leaving them unable to plant or harvest crops.

Nigeria now has the highest number of people facing acute hunger globally, with 32 million — 10% of the world’s total — at risk, according to the United Nations food agency. The floods have only exacerbated this dire situation, with food supplies expected to dwindle even further in the coming months.

In Zamfara state’s Gummi council area, resident Abdullahi Gummi expressed despair after the floods destroyed his family’s farmland, which is also their primary source of income. “We spent around 300,000 naira ($188) on planting, but everything is gone,” Gummi said, his voice filled with sorrow.

The disaster has prompted calls for more robust infrastructure and better urban planning to prevent future tragedies. Experts argue that the government must take urgent steps to improve dam maintenance, enforce building regulations, and ensure that environmental guidelines are followed.

As Nigeria braces for what could be an even more challenging period ahead, the focus is now on providing immediate relief to those affected, while also addressing the underlying causes of the flooding to prevent a recurrence.

Ezekiel, the NEMA spokesperson, reiterated the agency’s plea for residents in flood-prone areas to evacuate immediately, warning that the situation could deteriorate as floodwaters move southward.
The government’s response in the coming weeks will be crucial in determining how well the country can recover from this latest disaster — and how effectively it can protect its citizens from future calamities.