The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has issued a warning about potential flooding in 11 states following a notification from Cameroon regarding the release of water from the Lagdo dam. This warning comes as Nigeria is already contending with severe flooding, particularly in northeastern Borno State, where a dam recently burst due to heavy rainfall.

Recent downpours across West and Central Africa have led to significant water accumulation, prompting Cameroonian authorities to begin controlled water releases from one of their largest dams. The NIHSA reported that the management of the Lagdo dam plans to release water gradually, aiming to prevent overwhelming the Benue River downstream and mitigating the risk of flooding in Nigeria.

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The states identified as at risk include Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers, which are crucial for food production and oil production in Nigeria. NIHSA has urged both federal and state authorities to enhance their preparedness measures to lessen the potential impact of flooding as water levels in major rivers are expected to rise.

This announcement comes in the wake of devastating floods in 2022, which resulted in over 600 fatalities and extensive damage to agricultural lands, exacerbated by the release of water from the Lagdo dam at that time. Experts have pointed out that Nigeria’s failure to complete its own dam intended to manage water flow from Cameroon contributed significantly to the disaster.