The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) has warned that Nigeria could witness more intense flooding over the next 12 weeks, with the situation expected to worsen between August and September if urgent preventive measures are not taken.
Director-General of NiHSA, Umar Mohammed, said the devastating floods that recently hit Lagos and several other states did not come as a surprise, stressing that the agency had accurately predicted the disaster but its warnings were largely ignored.
According to him, NiHSA’s flood forecasting models had indicated the likelihood of severe flooding before the rains intensified, prompting the agency to issue early warnings to relevant authorities.
Mohammed said the current flooding marks only the beginning of the peak rainy season, warning that continuous rainfall from July through September could trigger even more destructive floods across the country.
He explained that Lagos remains particularly vulnerable because it is exposed to three major forms of flooding—urban, riverine and coastal flooding—which can occur simultaneously due to the state’s low-lying terrain and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.
The NiHSA boss noted that some parts of Lagos are at or below sea level, making it difficult for floodwaters to drain naturally, especially where drainage channels are blocked or heavily silted with refuse.
He added that overflowing tributaries linked to the Ogun River are also contributing to the worsening flood situation by merging with urban floodwaters and increasing their intensity.
Mohammed warned that prolonged flooding could contaminate boreholes and other drinking water sources, raising serious public health concerns in affected communities.
He disclosed that the agency had already carried out pre-flood water quality assessments and plans to conduct post-flood tests to determine the extent and sources of water contamination.
The NiHSA chief predicted that flooding would likely persist intermittently until October, with significant improvement expected only around November as rainfall gradually subsides.
He also lamented the poor response of many state governments to annual flood outlooks, saying several authorities routinely ignore the agency’s predictions until disasters occur.
Mohammed urged governments at all levels to clear blocked drainage systems, improve flood management infrastructure and take NiHSA’s forecasts more seriously to minimise loss of lives and property during the remaining months of the rainy season.
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