NIHSA Unveils 2025 Annual Flood Outlook Thursday

In an anticipated move this Thursday, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) is on track to present its latest research—the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO). The unveiling event is scheduled to take place at the Ladi Kwali Hall of the Abuja Continental Hotel, Federal Capital Territory.

The theme of this year’s Outlook, ‘Flood Resilience: Focusing on Communities Preparedness and Adaptive Strategies for Flood Management’, highlights the urgent need for community-centered solutions and adaptive mechanisms in tackling flood challenges. The honorable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, will officially introduce the Flood Outlook to the audience.

NIHSA, a frontline advisory body on aquatic hazards, plays a crucial role in delivering annual flood predictions designed to help Nigeria withstand the impacts of seasonal flooding. These vital forecasts, issued in the year’s first quarter, delineate anticipated flooding patterns and indicate regions at heightened risk.

The 2025 AFO is not merely a prediction; it is an essential resource intended to prepare communities and stakeholders for upcoming flood risks. By identifying flood-prone zones and estimating possible flooding severity and duration across divergent regions, the Outlook serves as a strategic blueprint for flood mitigation.

In this year’s publication, NIHSA sheds light on expected flood scenarios by focusing on preparedness measures, early alert systems, and adaptation strategies employed at the community level.

Umar Ibrahim Mohammed, Director General of NIHSA, emphasized that the Annual Flood Outlook offers a rigorous, evidence-based analysis that substantively enhances readiness and responsiveness across multiple sectors. The data-driven insights it provides are grounded in scientific rigor, equipping government bodies, planners, and local agencies with information crucial for proactive management.

This pivotal document also addresses concerns about key infrastructure, pinpointing vulnerable areas, timing on expected flood events, strategies for conveying flood risk information, and adaptation initiatives that communities might employ.

The 2025 AFO Presentation will convene a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from federal and state governments, non-governmental entities, global development aid donors, academic institutions, civil society, media, and the interested public. This gathering underscores the significant collaborative effort required among all sectors to address the challenges posed by climate change-induced flooding effectively.