National Emergency Management Agency has called on traditional institutions, religious organisations, women and youth groups, the media, and the private sector in Zamfara State to support efforts aimed at amplifying early warning messages under the 2026 National Preparedness and Response Campaign on Flood Disaster and Related Hazards.
The Director-General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, made the appeal during a stakeholders’ engagement on the 2026 flood preparedness campaign held in Gusau.
Represented by the Director of NEMA’s North-West Zonal Directorate, Aliyu Shehu Kafindangi, the Director-General cited projections by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency indicating that 23 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, and 132 local government areas fall within high flood-risk zones.
She explained that, in response to the forecasts, NEMA convened an expert review meeting to assess the implications. The analysis highlighted potential challenges such as delayed or erratic rainfall onset, shorter growing seasons, above-normal rainfall in some areas, prolonged dry spells, and rising temperatures.
According to her, these conditions could significantly impact critical sectors including agriculture, healthcare, transportation, energy, water supply, education, and overall public wellbeing.
Hajiya Zubaida Umar further disclosed that, the agency has developed the 2026 Climate-Related Risk Management, Preparedness, and Mitigation Framework aimed at addressing the challenges and reducing flood impacts nationwide.
She noted that the campaign was designed to drive early and coordinated action to protect lives and livelihoods during the 2026 rainy season.
She stressed that the recurring impact of flooding in Nigeria demands urgent and collective action, as lives are lost annually, livelihoods disrupted, and infrastructure worth billions of naira destroyed.
Hajiya Zubaida Umar emphasised that preventing avoidable flood disasters requires a whole-of-society approach and urged stakeholders to actively support NEMA’s awareness and preparedness initiatives.
In a welcome address, the Zamfara State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary and Director of Administration, Hajiya Ummulkhairi Abubakar Usman, described the engagement as timely and crucial.
She noted that the programme aims to equip communities and stakeholders with vital information and preparedness strategies to reduce the devastating effects of flooding across vulnerable areas in the state. She added that flood disasters continue to pose serious threats to lives, property, agriculture, and socio-economic activities, making early warning and proactive response essential.
The Commissioner commended NEMA for its sustained collaboration and support in strengthening disaster preparedness and risk reduction efforts in Zamfara State, urging participants to actively engage in discussions and disseminate the knowledge gained within their respective communities.
Also speaking, the Head of NEMA’s Sokoto Operations Office, Mr. Tukur Abubakar, highlighted the importance of community-level awareness and preparedness.
The event featured an interactive question-and-answer session, allowing stakeholders to seek clarifications and make contributions.
In his closing remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Zamfara State Emergency Management Agency (ZEMA) Ambassador Ahmad Bala Gusau assured participants that the agency would take into account all observations and inputs made during the meeting.
The engagement brought together representatives of key stakeholders, including the Zamfara State Environmental Protection Agency, religious leaders, and traditional rulers, who also delivered goodwill messages.
COV/AMINU DALHATU
