News Rendezvous

In a landmark move to enhance flood disaster preparedness in Nigeria, the Federal Government, in collaboration with key United Nations agencies namely the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has commenced a Pilot Anticipatory Action Simulation Exercise in flood-prone communities in Adamawa State. The exercise, which kicked off on Monday, 16 June 2025, in Kwanta Community, Numan Local Government Area, will run until 20 June 2025. It marks the first in a series of flood simulation drills designed to test early warning systems, enhance community preparedness, and prevent loss of lives and livelihoods in vulnerable regions across Nigeria. The initiative is being carried out in conjunction with critical national and state-level agencies including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA). According to the organizers, the simulation aims to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of early action protocols, coordination capacities, and response readiness of stakeholders. It also seeks to evaluate community reaction to flood alerts and the application of anticipatory tools and resources designed to safeguard agricultural livelihoods and food security. Speaking on behalf of WFP, Akeem Ajibola emphasised the importance of early preparedness: “This simulation is about mobilising communities ahead of the impending floods. WFP, FAO, and other UN agencies are working closely with the Nigerian government to activate early warning systems and ensure communities act in time to prevent avoidable loss of life and property,” he said. Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Development Partners, Inna Binta Audu, described the exercise as a clear shift in the federal government’s approach to disaster management. “The federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is prioritizing disaster preparedness. This pilot simulation is the beginning of a country-wide effort to alert and equip communities with the protocols necessary for rescue operations and safety,” she explained. Binta revealed that the initiative is backed by real-time data on vulnerable populations, with plans to support them through a conditional cash transfer scheme to aid relocation and reduce the impact of flooding. She added, “This is not just talk; it is deliberate action. Our goal is to ensure that communities act before the floods hit, rather than respond after devastation has occurred.” The Permanent Secretary of ADSEMA, Ciline Laori, hailed the simulation as a watershed moment in disaster management in the state. “This is a practical step towards saving lives. We are working closely with federal agencies and development partners to implement the protocols effectively. Our people must understand the risks and respond to warnings. It’s a matter of life and death,” she stressed. Chairmen of Numan and Lamurde LGAs, Bulus Daniel and Innocent Koto, respectively, expressed gratitude to the federal government and its partners. They noted that the initiative would go a long way in mitigating the effects of flooding in their communities. They also urged the federal government to complement the simulation with long-term structural solutions such as desilting the River Benue and constructing buffer dams to curb recurrent flooding. This simulation drill builds upon a pre-scoping mission conducted in May 2025 by technical experts from federal and international agencies. It represents a proactive approach to disaster risk reduction and sets a precedent for similar simulations planned for Kogi and Bayelsa States in the coming months. The joint effort reflects the UN’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in building a resilient, coordinated, and community-centred disaster management framework—one that places early action at the core of humanitarian response.