Over 1,500 Lives, $26.02 Billion Lost: Here’s What You Should Know About Nigeria’s Flooding Disaster in 10 Years
In October 2022, a devastating flood destroyed over 70,000 farmlands, displaced about two million people and claimed the lives of over 600 individuals.
In a special report on the devastating flood, Neusroom detailed how several Nigerians lost their livelihoods during the flood.
Gideon John, a 25-year-old farmer, lost over N1.5 million when his seven hectares of rice farmland were destroyed by flood in November 2022. Another flood victim, Nkeiruka Okoroafor, an expectant mother in 2022 who lives with her aged father and mother-in-law in Ngegwu village, Imo State, told the story of how she lost her kiosk and farmland to the destructive flood of Imo State.
The 2022 flooding endemic, the worst since 2012, affected several states and was primarily attributed to the release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam, a reservoir in Cameroon. However, a year later, many states are already experiencing flooding, indicating that it could remain a significant issue if climate change is not adequately addressed.
In Jos, three people reportedly lost their lives when Eto-Baba communities in Jos North Local Government were flooded due to heavy rains on Sunday, September 17, 2023, which lasted for many hours. In Lagos and Ogun States, many communities are facing threats of flooding as heavy rains continue.
A resident in Lusada, Igbesa, Ogun State, Promise Obike, told Neusroom that a heavy rainstorm on Saturday, September 23, 2023, caused damage to their property.
While Mustapha Ahmed, Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), warned in March 2023 that Nigerians should prepare for severe flooding, Nigeria is not the only country facing a flooding disaster, which has been largely attributed to climate change. In Libya, The Associated Press reported that over 11,000 people have died following a devastating flood in the coastal city of Derna.
Also, CNN reported that Brazil recorded more than 30 deaths last week after heavy rains and floods in the state of Rio Grande do Sul – the worst natural disaster to hit the state in 40 years.
Following the flooding disaster of 2022 in Nigeria, Olumide Idowu, a climate change activist and co-founder of the International Climate Change Development Initiative (ICCDI Africa), told Neusroom that Nigerians are not paying enough attention to climate change.
The 2022 flooding and the various cases currently being recorded across different regions in the country are not the first time Nigeria has witnessed flooding.
The flooding disaster in 2012 cost Nigeria over $16 billion, displaced 2.3 million people and resulted in the deaths of 363 people. In 2022, according to Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Nigeria lost $9.12 billion to flooding, an equivalent of N4.2 trillion using the then exchange rate of N460.78 per dollar. From 2012 to 2022, it is estimated that flood have resulted in the deaths of over 1,500 people in Nigeria and have cost the nation over $26.02 billion.
“Climate change is real, and it is unfortunate that many people still do not believe in it,” Idowu, the climate change activist, said.
“How prepared are we for the floods that will happen in the future?” Idowu asked. “The climate is changing gradually, and instead of taking action, we are taking it for granted.”
While 64 percent of people believe climate change is a global emergency, according to a 2021 United Nations Development Programme report, many Nigerians are yet to understand the far-reaching consequences, with the Nigerian government appearing not to prioritize the issue.
Although former President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Climate Change Act in November 2021, which seeks to provide a framework for achieving low greenhouse gas emissions, experts believe that more funds should be allocated to climate change to mitigate its impact.
To mitigate future occurrences, Idowu said that the government needs to invest in urban planning and data.
“Data is very important to drive the solutions we are looking for on this issue.”
