As Nigerians brace up for the rainy season that is beginning to set in with scary flood episodes, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) had from the beginning of the year, issued several flood alerts in many states, including Niger.

The devastating Niger flood brings back the stern warning of NIMET that about 13 Northern states will experience massive floods in 2025.

“A normal to below-normal annual rainfall is anticipated in most parts of Nigeria compared to long-term average. High-intensity rainfall is expected in May to June that may likely result in flash floods in the coastal cities.”

Also sounding the flood alarm, the Federal government through the Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Joseph Utsev noted that 1,249 towns at 176 local government’s in 30 states, including parts of the FCT are prone to floods.

Recall that flood affected some parts of Nigeria, especially the North in 2024 where rain water washed parts of Borno, Maiduguri, and Kano.

It was even more devastating in Jigawa, where the rains washed through homes and farmlands.

This year, according to the Federal Government, Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos Nasarawa will experience floods.

Others are Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Data from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) further supported these claims, pointing to the possibility of dams reaching overflow levels. This is especially concerning for Niger State, which hosts the Shiroro and Kainji dams — both of which have been sources of downstream flooding in previous years.