Abuja — The scale of Nigeria’s 2025 flood disaster has continued to widen, with at least 232 lives lost and more than 121,000 people displaced across the country, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Figures obtained as of September 20 showed that flooding has affected over 339,000 people, left 681 injured, and destroyed 42,301 houses and 48,447 hectares of farmlands, worsening fears of food insecurity.
Niger State recorded the highest casualties with 163 deaths, followed by Adamawa with 59, while fatalities were also reported in Taraba, Yobe, Borno, Gombe, and Jigawa. In addition, 115 people remain missing nationwide.
NEMA listed Lagos, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Taraba, Rivers, Delta, Abia, and Edo among the worst-hit states, where thousands of residents were displaced and farmlands submerged. In Lagos alone, nearly 58,000 people were affected, with more than 3,600 displaced and 3,244 houses damaged.
The agency highlighted food, shelter, health services, water, sanitation, and livelihood support as the most urgent needs of victims. However, resource shortages, inaccessible communities, security risks, and in some cases resistance from locals, have hampered the speed of relief operations.
In Gombe State, the local Emergency Management Agency confirmed that 986 households have been displaced and 15 lives lost since the rainy season began. Executive Secretary Haruna Abdullahi described the situation as “worrying,” citing recent displacements in Jurara and Jalingon Kamu communities. He also reported a canoe mishap in Funakaye Local Government Area that claimed five lives.
Across the country, states such as Kaduna, Nasarawa, Bauchi, and Jigawa have ramped up campaigns to avert further crises, even as humanitarian partners intensify response efforts.
Authorities continue to urge residents in flood-prone areas to take precautionary measures, especially as Nigeria enters the peak of the rainy season.
