NEMA has launched its 2026 National Preparedness and Response Campaign on Flood Disaster and Related Hazards for the South-South zone, with the flag-off held Thursday in Calabar.
DG Zubaida Umar said the campaign is about getting ahead of the rains to protect lives and livelihoods during the 2026 rainy season.
The South remains one of Nigeria’s most flood-prone regions, she noted, due to its coastal location, heavy rainfall, overflowing rivers, poor drainage, and climate change impacts. The result is often recurrent flooding, displaced communities, destroyed farmlands, and disrupted livelihoods.
Umar called for early action to prevent, mitigate, and respond to flooding, especially in high-risk communities. She urged traditional rulers, religious groups, women and youth groups, the media, the private sector, and other stakeholders to help spread early warning messages. “Disaster management is everyone’s business,” she said.
The agency has put together a 2026 Climate-Related Risk Management, Preparedness and Mitigation Framework to guide flood reduction nationwide. Key steps include training local responders, running simulation and tabletop exercises, following rainfall and flood advisories, clearing drainage channels and waterways, and testing community evacuation plans.
Through its Flood Early Warning System, NEMA has mapped risk profiles and produced vulnerability maps to help federal, state, and local governments target risk reduction. Technical teams will be deployed to all states for direct community outreach, working with SEMAs, LEMCs, and volunteers.
Umar said she’s optimistic the campaign will strengthen preparedness, cut the impact of recurrent floods, safeguard livelihoods, and support President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
As part of the launch, she met with Cross River Governor Senator Bassey Otu and urged the state to step up proactive flood management. Otu commended NEMA’s approach and pledged continued collaboration to strengthen disaster preparedness and response.
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