At least 49 people have lost their lives and thousands have been displaced in northeastern Nigeria due to severe flooding triggered by heavy rainfall, the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) reported on Monday.
The hardest-hit states—Jigawa, Adamawa, and Taraba—have seen 41,344 people displaced by the floods, according to NEMA spokesperson Manzo Ezekiel.
In 2022, Nigeria faced its worst flooding in over a decade, which claimed more than 600 lives, displaced 1.4 million people, and devastated 440,000 hectares of farmland. Ezekiel warned that the current situation remains critical as the country approaches the peak of the rainy season, particularly in northern regions.
This year’s floods have also damaged 693 hectares of farmland, further exacerbating Nigeria’s food supply challenges amid soaring inflation driven by high food prices. The agricultural sector, already struggling due to militant attacks, now faces additional strain from the flooding.
The Nigerian government previously warned that 31 of the country’s 36 states were at risk of severe flooding this year. Ezekiel added that rising water levels in the upper reaches of the River Niger, outside Nigeria, are contributing to the situation.
