The Federal Government has issued a fresh flood alert, warning communities in 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of possible flooding between September 27 and October 10, 2026. The warning was contained in a flood prediction released by the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre under the Federal Ministry of Environment.
The centre said the affected areas could experience high soil moisture, rainfall, rapid surface runoff, drainage surcharge and rising river levels, which could trigger flooding during the forecast period. It classified the affected communities into three categories – Critical Risk, High Risk and Moderate Risk Watchlist – based on their expected level of flood exposure.
States with communities under the Critical Risk category are Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo. In Ekiti, the affected areas include Ado-Ekiti, Ijero, Ikere, Ekiti Southwest, Ekiti East, Ise/Orun and Ekiti West.
In Lagos, the areas include Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Ikoyi, Lagos Island, Lekki, Ojo, Orile Agege, Surulere, Agege, Alimosho and Kosofe. The FCT was placed under the High Risk category, with Abuja Municipal, Abaji, Asokoro, Bwari, Garki, Gwarinpa, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kubwa, Maitama, Nyanya and Wuse among the areas listed.
Other states with communities under the High Risk category are Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa and Kebbi. The centre also placed communities in Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Yobe, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa on the Moderate Risk Watchlist.
The centre advised residents in Critical Risk areas to maintain an immediate flood watch, verify evacuation routes and protect vulnerable households and essential property. Residents were also warned against settling, parking, trading or storing goods in active floodplains, wetlands, riverbanks and low-lying drainage corridors.
For High Risk areas, the centre advised authorities and residents to intensify drainage clearance, monitor culverts and watercourses, and report heavy rainfall, waterlogging, dam releases and rising river levels. The advisory was signed by the Director of Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department, Usman Abdullahi Bokani.
Key points
- The Federal Government has warned of possible flooding in 24 states and the FCT between September 27 and October 10, 2026.
- The affected areas have been classified into Critical Risk, High Risk and Moderate Risk Watchlist categories.
- Residents in affected areas have been advised to take precautions, including maintaining a flood watch and verifying evacuation routes.
