Nigeria’s flooding crisis has killed 245 people and displaced 214,997 others across 28 states, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which warned that the disaster continues to threaten lives, homes and livelihoods.

The agency said flooding had affected 673,350 people across 134 local government areas as of October 20, 2026.

NEMA Director-General, Zubaida Umar, disclosed the figures at the National Emergency Coordination Forum in Abuja on Thursday, where emergency officials and other stakeholders met to strengthen coordination amid flooding and public health threats.

Umar said flooding remained a major threat because of its potential to cause further deaths, displacement and damage to infrastructure.

She said early warning forecasts issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency were materialising in several states, underscoring the need for coordinated emergency preparedness and response.

According to NEMA’s flood dashboard, children account for 38 per cent of affected persons, while women make up 31 per cent. The agency also reported that 3,191 persons with disabilities were among those affected.

Umar said Akwa Ibom State accounted for 29 per cent of the affected population, while the North-West geopolitical zone represented 57 per cent of affected persons.

She also expressed concern about the connection between flooding and cholera outbreaks, particularly in displaced communities where contaminated water and inadequate sanitation could increase the risk of disease transmission.

Presenting the flood situation update, Lydia Madu, NEMA’s deputy director of search and rescue and coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre, said forecasts indicated possible flooding in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Madu said 14,118 communities in 266 local government areas had been identified as being at high risk, while another 15,597 communities in 405 local government areas were classified as being at moderate risk.

She said NEMA had intensified early warning communication, preparedness campaigns and simulation exercises in Adamawa, Cross River, Kebbi and Niger states. The agency was also pre-positioning relief supplies to support emergency responses.

NEMA said 180,631 households, comprising 711,786 individuals, had benefited from its relief interventions.

Tony Ephraim, the agency’s deputy director of planning, research and forecasting, said the coordination forum was important given the combined challenges posed by flooding, El Niño and disease outbreaks.

The forum brought together emergency response officials, ministries, departments and agencies, the armed forces and humanitarian partners to share information and agree on measures to support vulnerable communities.

NEMA said it would continue working with relevant agencies and partners to strengthen preparedness, improve early warnings and coordinate responses to emergencies nationwide.

The agency has repeatedly urged authorities and residents in flood-prone areas to take forecasts seriously and prepare for potential emergencies. Its 2026 flood preparedness efforts include monitoring risk areas and coordinating with state emergency management agencies.

Residents in vulnerable communities are advised to follow official alerts and evacuation instructions and move to safer, higher ground when necessary.