Nigeria’s disaster management department reported nearly 200 fatalities following weeks of heavy flooding, which led to the destruction of homes and agricultural lands, thereby putting food supplies particularly at risk in the severely affected northern region. Infrastructure that was poorly constructed and ill-maintained dams have been accused for the floods that claimed 185 lives, while causing displacement for 208,000 individuals across 28 of Nigeria’s 36 states, as the National Emergency Management Agency stated on Friday. This calamity has spurred urgent evacuation efforts to temporary shelters for hundreds of thousands of individuals.
Yearly, Nigeria experiences floods, generally due to the non-compliance with environment norms and a lack of appropriate infrastructural groundwork. In 2022, Nigeria suffered the highest flooding in ten years, which resulted in over 600 fatalities and displaced more than one million residents. Although the 2022 floods were attributed to heavier rain, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency highlighted that this year’s floods are more due to human activities, given the prediction of late or regular rainfall in most parts of Nigeria.
Ibrahim Wasiu Adeniyi, the head of the central forecasting unit, stated that the changing climate is caused by human actions, shifting away from the norm. He pointed to the reckless disposal of waste and unauthorized construction of homes along water pathways.
The disaster response agency warned that the floods could escalate as floodwaters move to the central and southern regions. Manzo Ezekiel, the spokesperson, urged residents in flood-prone regions to evacuate immediately due to the urgency of the situation.
Jigawa, being the hardest-hit state with 37 fatalities, has felt a “devastating” impact from the floods according to Nura Abdullahi, the head of emergency services in the state. Public buildings and schools are being repurposed as shelters to provide for the displaced people.
Presently, the floods have decimated 107,000 hectares of agricultural land, with the northern states bearing the brunt of the damage. These states are a significant source of Nigeria’s harvests. Many individuals have been forced to reduce their farming activities due to Nigeria’s economic struggles and violent conflicts that have made farming impossible.
Consequently, Nigeria currently has the highest population of starving people worldwide, with 32 million people facing severe hunger as per the UN Food Agency.