Stakeholders meet to evaluate Nigeria’s flood preparedness

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) recently convened a stakeholders’ forum to analyse the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

The forum aims to assess flood risks and determine early mitigation strategies.

NEMA’s Director General, Zubaida Umar, highlighted the need for multi-sectoral collaboration in preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.

She stated: “The climate challenges last year raised significant questions about our ability to respond efficiently to evolving disaster trends and impacts.” She added that evaluating past humanitarian response activities would help agencies improve their strategies.

Analysis of 2024 disaster response efforts

Umar explained that the forum was designed to assess preparedness, mitigation, and response activities undertaken in 2024 at the federal, state, and local government levels.

She stated: “We need to understand what happened, why it happened, what we did correctly, and identify gaps to enhance our performance.”

The discussions will inform adjustments to climate disaster preparedness strategies for 2025.

Umar noted that the insights would support early messaging and decision-making for authorities at all levels.

Collaboration with UNICEF on hazard risk analysis

NEMA’s Director General further mentioned that the agency, in partnership with UNICEF, had conducted a hazard risk analysis for Nigeria.

She stated that the findings would be simplified and shared with stakeholders to strengthen disaster preparedness measures.

The forum also reviewed how SCP data could be used to refine emergency response planning, ensuring authorities take proactive measures against climate-related disasters.

Sector-wide participation in disaster preparedness planning

Director of Planning, Research, and Forecasting at NEMA, Dr.

Onimode Abdullahi Bandele, noted that representatives from key sectors, including agriculture, health, transport, power, and water resources, were engaged in discussions.

He stated that collective efforts were necessary to manage climate-induced disasters.

Participants included representatives from State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and the Nigerian Military, alongside university-based disaster risk management experts.

Some attendees delivered goodwill messages, reaffirming their commitment to supporting the forum’s objectives.

NEMA reviews 2025 climate predictions to strengthen flood preparedness: Summary

NEMA organised a stakeholders’ forum to review the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) from NiMet and discuss flood risk management strategies.

The agency’s Director General, Zubaida Umar, stressed the importance of multi-sectoral cooperation in disaster preparedness.

She noted that reviewing past response efforts would help agencies identify gaps and improve strategies.

The discussions covered an analysis of preparedness, mitigation, and response actions taken in 2024.

Umar stated that early planning and messaging would enable federal, state, and local authorities to take timely action.

NEMA also highlighted a recent hazard risk analysis conducted with UNICEF, which aims to provide stakeholders with data-driven insights.

Participants from government agencies, emergency management bodies, and academic institutions contributed to the discussions, with representatives from multiple sectors examining how climate disaster preparedness could be strengthened.