FG okays ₦83.21bn to tackle flooding across states in Nigeria

The National Economic Council has approved ₦83.21 billion for the implementation of an Anticipatory Action Task Force aimed at mitigating flooding and other climate-related disasters across Nigeria.

The approval followed a 50 per cent reduction from an initial ₦166.42 billion request submitted to the council by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu.

The decision was taken on Thursday during the council’s 158th meeting, presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, said the approved funds would be drawn from the Federation Account Allocation Committee to enable timely interventions.

He said flooding had become a recurring national challenge, noting that the Federal Government was adopting proactive measures to reduce its impact across states.

Otu explained that the budget cut was not a rejection of urgency but a resource-management decision aimed at ensuring phased implementation of the programme.

He added that Nigeria was now shifting from reactive responses to preventive flood management strategies designed to reduce seasonal devastation.

According to him, past interventions had often come after flood disasters had already caused significant damage, but the new approach prioritises early action and mitigation.

Other governors also provided updates on discussions held at the meeting. Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, said the initiative represents the first phase of a broader flood management plan that includes long-term infrastructure such as reservoirs to manage water releases from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam.

Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, disclosed that the council also considered a proposed National Regional Development Policy for 2026 to 2030 aimed at addressing spatial inequalities across the country.

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, added that a proposal to strengthen Nigeria’s agro-export value chain was also reviewed, with projections suggesting it could unlock about $50 billion in annual agro-export potential currently constrained by compliance gaps.