NEMA Urges States to Strengthen Flood Preparedness Ahead of 2026 Rainy Season

NEMA Urges States to Strengthen Flood Preparedness Ahead of 2026 Rainy Season

The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, has called on state governments to intensify proactive measures to mitigate flooding risks ahead of the 2026 rainy season.

She made the call during a courtesy visit to the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, in Yola, as part of nationwide stakeholder engagements with state governors on disaster preparedness and emergency response coordination.

According to her, projections indicate that about 30 states fall within moderate to high flood-risk zones, making urgent preventive action necessary to reduce potential humanitarian and infrastructural damage.

Zubaida Umar stressed the importance of reintroducing and enforcing monthly environmental sanitation exercises, clearing blocked drainages and waterways, and strengthening State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) across the country.

She also emphasized the need for the establishment and effective operation of Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) at the grassroots level to improve early warning systems and rapid response capacity.

The NEMA DG noted that coordinated preparedness efforts remain critical to reducing the impact of seasonal flooding, which has in past years displaced communities and damaged critical infrastructure across several states.

Governor Fintiri reportedly welcomed the recommendations and assured the agency of swift implementation of the proposed measures, along with other complementary interventions aimed at safeguarding lives and property in Adamawa State.

The engagement forms part of broader national efforts to strengthen disaster risk reduction and improve climate resilience ahead of the upcoming rainy season.

NEMA Urges States to Strengthen Flood Preparedness Ahead of 2026 Rainy Season