The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has called on state governments across Nigeria to begin proactive measures to reduce the impact of predicted flooding during the 2026 rainy season.
Mrs. Umar made the appeal on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, in Yola as part of activities marking the stakeholders’ engagement and flag-off of the 2026 National Preparedness and Response Campaign on Flood Disaster and Related Hazards.
She warned that forecasts indicate that more than 30 states could experience severe flooding during the rainy season if urgent preventive actions are not taken.
According to the NEMA boss, state governments should immediately reintroduce and enforce monthly environmental sanitation exercises, ensure regular clearing of drainages and waterways, strengthen State Emergency Management Agencies, and make Local Emergency Management Committees fully operational at the grassroots level.
Mrs. Umar also disclosed that NEMA has developed the 2026 Climate-Related Risk Management, Preparedness and Mitigation Framework to guide coordinated nationwide efforts aimed at reducing flood-related disasters.
She further appealed to traditional rulers, religious organizations, women and youth groups, the media, and private sector stakeholders to support the agency in spreading early warning messages and promoting disaster preparedness within communities.
Responding, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri commended NEMA for its proactive disaster management efforts, especially the early warning and sensitization campaigns ahead of the rainy season.
The governor assured that the Adamawa State Government would consider and implement the recommendations provided by NEMA to help reduce the impact of flooding across the state.
