In a bid to strengthen Nigeria’s readiness for flood-related emergencies, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Saturday staged a full-scale flood response simulation exercise in the Wudil Local Government Area of Kano State.
The agency’s Director-General, Zubaida Umar, said the exercise was prompted by recent forecasts from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, which flagged Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara as among the most vulnerable states to flooding in 2025.
Speaking during the exercise, Umar said, “This simulation is more than a drill—it’s a lifesaving necessity. It allows us to test our preparedness before the next disaster strikes.”
She added that the urgency of the exercise had been heightened by a devastating flood that recently swept through Mokwa in Niger State, underlining the real and present dangers posed by extreme weather events.
The simulation mimicked a forced water release from the Tiga, Challawa, and Bagauda dams, designed to assess preparedness for dam-induced flooding along the River Kano corridor. The aim, according to Umar, was to evaluate emergency plans, pinpoint weaknesses, and enhance coordination among response agencies and stakeholders.
“Our ability to anticipate, respond to, and recover from disasters depends on the strength of our preparation,” she said. “By working together and practising now, we improve our chances of saving lives later.”
NEMA said the exercise forms part of a broader strategy to build resilience against the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters in Nigeria, particularly those triggered by climate change and poor infrastructure planning.
The agency reiterated its call for proactive disaster risk reduction policies and urged state and local governments to invest in early warning systems, community education, and inter-agency cooperation to mitigate future disasters.
