Nigeria: Floods - Situation Report No. 5 (As of 1 November 2024)

This report is produced by OCHA Nigeria in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It was issued on 1 November 2024. The next report will be issued on or around 15 November 2024.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Over 320 people dead, 1.3 million affected by floods in 34 states in Nigeria.

• National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) leads joint floods assessments across 19 states in Nigeria.

• Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) recommends prioritized humanitarian action in Edo, Delta, Anambra, and Bayelsa to mitigate flood impact.

• Alarming rise in malnutrition cases in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states following floods - more than half a million children under five admitted and/or treated for acute malnutrition between May and September 2024.

• Increased violence and insecurity heighten food insecurity in Borno State.

• Borno State Government closes Teachers Village temporary floods relocation site - affected people consolidated in Gubio and Bakassi relocation sites.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

National Emergency Management Agency leads joint floods assessments across 19 states in Nigeria

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with various UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Red Cross movement and state governments, is conducting joint floods assessments in 19 riverine states and states neighbouring them across Nigeria to inform the flood response.

The two-week assessments which began on 23 October will cover Adamawa, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Rivers, and Taraba states. The assessments are being conducted in collaboration with the State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the Nigeria Red Cross Society (NRCS) and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC).

The assessments are taking place as the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) predicts a likelihood of increased flooding in the south-east and south-south states as floodwaters from the Niger River move toward the Atlantic Ocean.

While the flow of the Benue River is gradually receding after peaking at Makurdi in Benue State, the convergence of the Niger and Benue Rivers at Lokoja, Kogi State, has resulted in an increased volume of flow downstream. This increased flow has contributed to flooding in certain areas of Kogi State. Consequently, riverine communities in the downstream states - Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Cross River - are at an elevated risk of flooding. This is expected to adversely affect lives and livelihoods, damage farmlands and crops, disrupt economic activities and compromise water quality.

To mitigate flood impacts, NIHSA has recommended that four states in the south-east and south-south regions - Edo, Delta, Anambra, and Bayelsa be prioritized for humanitarian action. These states are situated along the main course of the Niger River and are frequently affected by the overflow. Targeted humanitarian efforts in these areas will be crucial in absorbing the shocks of flooding and supporting vulnerable people, especially in riverine communities.