Key highlights:
- Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kaduna, Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa and Yobe to experience below-average rainfall.
- Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom, Delta and Cross River to experience rainfall amounts of 2700mm and above.
- 41 LGAs fall within the moderate flood risk areas in the months of April to June; 199 LGAs in the months of July to September, and 72 LGAs in the months of October and November.
Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), warned that farming operations in Nigeria’s Middle belt, and North West would experience below-average rainfall for this year.
This was disclosed by the Director-General of, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Mustapha Ahmed at the 2023 Climate-Related Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Strategies document, on Thursday in Abuja.
The NEMA boss said the states that would experience below-average rainfall are the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kaduna, Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa and Yobe.
Rainfall
Mr Mustapha Ahmed revealed that the states that are expected to record rainfall amounts of 2700mm and above are Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom, Delta and Cross River.
He added the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); Kaduna, Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa and Yobe are likely to observe below-average rainfall during the year, citing that based on the 2023 Annual Flood Outlook released by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), 66 local government areas are at high risk of flooding in the months of April to June.
Flooding
148 LGAs would be at high risk of flooding in the months of July to September, while 100 others in the months of October and November would encounter the same, he said:
- “In addition, a total of 41 LGAs fall within the moderate flood risk areas in the months of April to June; 199 LGAs in the months of July to September, and 72 LGAs in the months of October and November.
- “This year’s forecast has indicated that there is a high risk of coastal flooding due to the expected rise in sea level and tidal surge that may negatively impact agriculture, human settlements and transportation in Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos and Rivers States.
- “Flash and urban floods are also forecasted over many cities and towns due to poor drainage system and the lack of compliance to town planning and environmental regulations.”
He warned that Nigeria may witness floods similar to what occurred last year, if not more, adding that the Agency had written letters to the 36 state governments and the FCT administration to notify them of the LGAs at risk and actions that are expected to be taken by them.
What this means
The regions expected to have below-average rainfall are farming regions in Nigeria, which are heavily reliant on average rainfall to achieve standard food production, farmers may need to place heavier emphasis on water rationing if rainfall is not enough for food production this year.
Backstory
Nairametrics reported last month that National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), warned Nigerians to expect severe flooding in 2023.
NEMA DG, Mr Mustapha Ahmed, added there had been seasonal climate predictions and annual flood outlooks by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), adding that the flood disaster in 2022 was a learning experience, and NEMA would also spread early warning messages to states and Local Government Areas (LGAs) and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
- “We have started early this year, as we are ready for early warning and early action. We will bombard every citizen, state and local government with this information as we want them to know that it is serious. We will not keep quiet. We want them to know that there will be flooding this year.”
Very good caution to the farmers and Water Engineer