Fresh fears of widespread flooding have emerged after the Federal Ministry of Environment placed 944 communities across 21 states on critical flood alert between August 2 and August 15, 2026, warning residents in vulnerable areas to take immediate precautionary measures.

The ministry said the affected communities could experience severe flooding driven by persistent rainfall, rising river levels, saturated soils, rapid surface runoff and overwhelmed drainage systems.

According to the latest flood outlook released by the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre under the Ministry’s Department of Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management, another 406 communities in seven states have been classified as high-risk, while 650 communities in 13 states are under moderate flood watch.

In all, about 2,000 communities across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are on the national flood monitoring list.

The states facing the highest flood threat during the forecast period include Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo.

Among the major towns and cities listed in the critical category are Makurdi, Katsina Ala, Gboko and Otukpo in Benue; Lokoja and Idah in Kogi; Port Harcourt, Bonny, Okrika and Ahoada in Rivers; Benin City in Edo; Asaba and Warri in Delta; Calabar in Cross River; Yenagoa in Bayelsa; Uyo, Eket and Oron in Akwa Ibom; Aba and Umuahia in Abia; Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi in Anambra; Abakaliki in Ebonyi; Enugu metropolis; Owerri in Imo; Ado-Ekiti; Lagos Island, Lekki, Ikorodu, Apapa, Eti-Osa, Ikeja and Badagry in Lagos; Abeokuta, Ifo and Sagamu in Ogun; Akure and Okitipupa in Ondo; Osogbo and Ile-Ife in Osun; and Ibadan in Oyo State.

The ministry said communities designated as critical-risk areas require immediate flood watch, emergency preparedness and protective action, while those classified as high-risk should intensify monitoring and maintain rapid response readiness. Moderate-risk communities were advised to sustain routine surveillance, clear drainage systems and strengthen public awareness.

The report stated that the flood outlook was based on a nationwide assessment covering 2,000 locations across the country. Communities in the critical category recorded flood-risk scores of between 90 and 100, while high-risk areas scored between 74 and 78, and moderate-risk communities between 52 and 62.

The ministry urged the public to interpret the forecast alongside real-time weather updates and official emergency advisories, warning that heavy rainfall, rising rivers, excessive soil moisture, drainage overflow and rapid runoff could trigger significant flooding.

It also identified communities in the FCT, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Adamawa, Taraba and Kebbi as high-risk areas requiring enhanced vigilance, while the FCT, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Yobe and several other states were placed on the moderate-risk watchlist.

The advisory comes as emergency management agencies intensify calls on state governments, local authorities and residents in flood-prone communities to clear blocked drainage channels, avoid flood-prone waterways, prepare evacuation plans and closely monitor official weather and flood warnings to minimise the loss of lives and property.