MARCEL MBAMALUOne of the questions that trailed the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and the COVID-19 pandemic, was whether Nigeria was ready to handle emergencies. Evidence has shown that Nigeria is never ready for emergencies. Floods is another area that has earned Nigeria high rating in emergency unpreparedness.
Earlier in 2017, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) identified several gaps in Nigeria’s emergency preparedness as follows: lack of coordination among the three tiers of government, inadequate emergency operation plans among healthcare facilities with regard to communication, patient care and evacuation. As a result of this sort of situation, the 2019 Global Health Security Index rated Nigeria 12.5 out of 100 in emergency preparedness. The lack of emergency readiness is regrettable as floods become a recurring humanitarian crisis in Nigeria, with women and children disproportionately affected by the impacts of such disasters.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelArguably, things like floods and viral diseases may no longer be considered strict emergencies because they have become somewhat regular, if not annual, as indicated by the timeline of floods in Nigeria below:
- According to the World Health Organisation’s report of 2010, floods affected states: Kogi, Niger, Benue, Adamawa, Taraba and approximately 2 million people were affected, while about 60% were women and children.
- In 2012 also, floods caused by heavy rain took over Benue, Kogi, Anambra, Delta and Adamawa States between the months of July and October. It affected over one million people. This is according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) report.
- UNICEF reports that in 2020, states like Jigawa, Yobe and Adamawa were also affected by floods while about 1.5 million people were affected.
- The 2022 flood was considered the deadliest over a decade in the country as many farmlands and infrastructure were cleared. Bayelsa, Kogi, Delta and Anambra were the most affected. About 1.4 million people were displaced; UNICEF indicated that about 60% of flood victims were children.
- According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) report, the 2024 “ongoing” flood has affected 31 states including Borno, Bauchi and Sokoto. Over 1 million individuals, including women and children have been displaced already.
Root Causes of Reoccurring Flood Incidents in Nigeria
Cameroon is the primary country whose Lagdo Dam has continually caused flooding in Nigeria. Notably, however, by virtue of an agreement reached between both countries in 2013, Nigeria has always been informed before the release of water.
In 2023, Nigeria received a notification in August; though it was a different case in 2022, Nigeria got the notification after the dam was opened. Aside from the pre-warning mechanism, at the time the 2024 forecast was made about flooding, why did the government not start planning for the incident?
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) released its forecast for 2024 on April 3. This forecast indicated significant flood risks across the country, predicting heavy rainfall in 13 states and identifying 148 local government areas as high flood risk zones from April to November. The forecast also highlighted that moderate flooding could occur in 249 LGAs, with specific warnings for potential flooding in July, August and September. NiMet emphasised the need for proactive measures by state governments to mitigate flooding risks as the rainy season approached.
It was after the Cameroon government informed Nigeria in April and the announcement made on September 17 by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) that the government started taking proactive measures for flooding. But, is it safe to say that what has happened in Borno shows evidence of emergency readiness?
The recent flooding in Borno State, particularly in Maiduguri and many other states raise more questions about not just Nigeria’s emergency readiness but also why all governments that have served Nigeria for decades now has not resolved these issues.
Alleviating Measures; Not a Solution
Does it make sense allowing floods to occur and then coming up with preventive measures? The Nigerian Red Cross Society has mobilised emergency response teams to provide critical support, including medical services, water sanitation, temporary shelters and psychosocial support to victims of devastating flooding in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The United Nations has also allocated $6 million from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund to support flood victims, with additional funding expected to increase this amount to over $8 million. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is actively involved in managing disaster response, conducting search and rescue operations and setting up temporary camps for displaced individuals. The World Health Organisation (WHO) also deployed mobile health teams to provide medical care and prevent outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and malaria. Despite these efforts, challenges remain due to infrastructure damage and the scale of displacement caused by flooding.
Prevention; Better than Cure
It is high time the Nigerian government understood that prevention is better than cure. After all, resources channelled towards humanitarian services as a result of flooding can be used for other projects if only flooding can be resolved completely. The impacts of flooding and other natural disasters are further affecting the economic state of Nigeria, whose strength has already been downplayed globally?
A report by All Africa revealed that one of the biggest reasons for flooding in Nigeria, especially when the Lagdo Dam releases water, is the lack of a buffer dam in Nigeria. Their report revealed that: “Initially, Nigeria and Cameroon had an agreement to build two dams: Lagdo in Cameroon and Dasin Hausa in Nigeria. The Dasin Hausa Dam was meant to act as a shock absorber protecting Nigerian communities from floods. Unfortunately, although construction started in the 1980s, the Dasin Hausa Dam remains unfinished to this day.” The report explained that this delay has led to recurring floods in states like Kogi, Benue and other northeastern areas whenever excess water is released from Lagdo.
In 2022, Nigeria experienced one of its worst floods in a decade; largely due to this issue; the ongoing flood of 2024 is yet to end. Nigerian authorities ought to act fast and hasten the construction of a dam.
Therefore, to enhance Nigeria’s emergency readiness for floods and disease outbreaks like monkey pox, the government should focus on infrastructure improvements such as building buffer dams and maintaining drainage systems. Community preparedness through awareness campaigns is also essential along with strengthening coordination among emergency management agencies.
Another important area is health; hence enhancing health surveillance systems for early detection of diseases and investing in research and technology for better forecasting are crucial. The authorities should also consider collaborating with international partners who can provide necessary expertise and resources. In fact, where ordinary drainages and flood plains can resolve Nigeria’s flood problems, some countries have developed emergency readiness to tackle typhoons, tsunamis and hurricanes. The US, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, China and Japan are countries where floods are known to cause real headache. Nigeria can understudy them in building flood walls, storm surge barriers, dikes, underground reservoirs, road side drainage systems, and flood plains for floods to enter naturally. Food insurance programmes, flood planning (emergency shelters and transport systems) and community engagement are other means. By implementing these strategies, Nigeria can significantly improve its resilience against natural disasters, flooding and public health emergencies.
Dr Mbamalu is a Jefferson Fellow, member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and a renowned Publisher.
Dr. Marcel Mbamalu is a communication scholar, journalist and entrepreneur. He holds a Ph.D in Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and is the Chief Executive Officer Newstide Publications, the publishers of Prime Business Africa.
A seasoned journalist, he horned his journalism skills at The Guardian Newspaper, rising to the position of News Editor at the flagship of the Nigerian press. He has garnered multidisciplinary experience in marketing communication, public relations and media research, helping clients to deliver bespoke campaigns within Nigeria and across Africa.
He has built an expansive network in the media and has served as a media trainer for World Health Organisation (WHO) at various times in Northeast Nigeria. He has attended numerous media trainings, including the Bloomberg Financial Journalism Training and Reuters/AfDB training on Effective Coverage of Infrastructural Development of Africa.
A versatile media expert, he won the Jefferson Fellowship in 2023 as the sole Africa representative on the program. Dr Mbamalu was part of a global media team that covered the 2020 United State’s Presidential election. As Africa's sole representative in the 2023 Jefferson Fellowships, Dr Mbamalu was selected to tour the United States and Asia (Japan and Hong Kong) as part of a 12-man global team of journalists on a travel grant to report on inclusion, income gaps and migration issues between the US and Asia.
