July flood alert: 20 states at risk despite N620bn ecological funds

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has released a flood alert for the month of July, warning that states including Sokoto, Lagos, Edo, Benue, and 16 others are at high risk of experiencing flash floods.

This came as the Africa Environmental Health Organisation, climate change adaptation researchers, and members of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, among others, criticized state governments in the face of the recent devastating floods that ravaged several states, calling for an intense scrutiny over the management of ecological funds allocated to affected regions.

Investigations revealed that despite receiving over N620bn in ecological funds, many states seem ill-prepared to mitigate the impact of such disasters, raising questions about the effectiveness of these funds in enhancing environmental resilience and disaster preparedness.

NiMet’s flash flood risk alert for July 2025, released on Monday by the agency, showed the states with varying probable risks of experiencing flash flooding events due to the onset of rainfall across the country.

The agency said, “Sokoto State has a high risk of experiencing flash floods. Other states with notable risk of flash flooding are Kaduna, Zamfara, Yobe, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Adamawa, Taraba, Niger, Nasarawa, Benue, Ogun, Ondo, Lagos, Delta, Edo, Cross River, Rivers and Akwa Ibom.”

The agency advised residents of the states to relocate if necessary, clear drainage systems, prepare emergency kits, turn off electricity and gas during flooding, strengthen mudslide prevention, and promote community awareness.

This came as residents of some Ondo communities affected by the flood that occurred last week have called on the state government on Monday to come to their aid following the destruction of their property.

The flood came about as a result of a downpour on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, which has reportedly destroyed property worth millions of naira in communities in Owo, Okitipupa, Ilaje, and Ese Odo Local Government Areas of the state.

It was gathered that the flood destroyed buildings and submerged bridges in the affected communities of Uso, Ayeka, Ikoya, Igbodigo, Igodan, and Igbotako.