The National Economic Council (NEC) has called for a major reinforcement of State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) across Nigeria. NEC urged the Federal Ministry of Finance to release emergency funds to help states and the FCT prepare for and respond to the anticipated effects of the 2025 flood season.
Vice President Kashim Shettima’s spokesperson, Stanley Nkwocha, in a statement, said the decision followed a detailed presentation on the country’s 2025 flood preparedness by the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar.
The council specifically instructed local government areas and communities to become more involved in local risk mitigation, actively participate in awareness campaigns, and report any early indicators of flood risks to the proper authorities. To facilitate these efforts, the NEC has directed the Federal Ministry of Finance to disburse funds to all 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and several federal agencies.
NEMA’s presentation highlighted the progress made since 2024, including the creation of a National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and Action Plan (2024-2027) with support from the United Nations. The agency has also enhanced its coordination with military and police disaster response units, as well as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Red Cross. Key actions taken this year include a review of meteorological forecasts, with NEMA communicating flood predictions to state governments in May and June.
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The agency has also focused on bolstering SEMAs and setting up Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs), while activating an Emergency Coordination Forum. The Emergency Operations Centre became active on May 29, 2025, and NEMA has deployed search and rescue equipment to high-risk states while continuing to disseminate early warning messages nationwide.
However, NEMA also identified several persistent challenges that are hindering effective flood response. These include inadequate drainage systems, slow data reporting from states, insecurity in some flood-prone regions, and the limited operational capacity of SEMAs and LEMCs. Other concerns raised were poor compliance with urban planning and building codes, as well as deficient environmental sanitation and waste management practices.
In response to these challenges, the NEC has urged state governments to fully strengthen their SEMAs, ensure their LEMCs are operational, and enforce physical planning laws.
The council also called for the institutionalisation of monthly environmental sanitation and for states to allocate dedicated funding for disaster preparedness in their annual budgets.
