The Federal Government has alerted residents in 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory to possible flooding between September 27 and October 10, 2026, following forecasts of heavy rainfall, rising river levels, saturated soil and increased surface runoff.

The warning was contained in a flood prediction issued by the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre under the Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department.

The advisory, signed by the department’s Director, Usman Abdullahi Bokani, identified several communities across the country as critical, high or moderate flood-risk areas during the period.

States with communities listed in the critical-risk category include Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo.

The FCT, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa and Kebbi were among areas where communities were classified as being at high risk of flooding.

The Centre attributed the heightened risk to elevated soil moisture, expected rainfall, rapid surface runoff, drainage surcharge and rising river levels, which could combine to trigger flooding.

Major urban centres covered by the warning include Makurdi, Lokoja, Minna, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Asaba, Calabar, Uyo, Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Owerri, Ado-Ekiti, Lagos, Abeokuta, Akure, Osogbo and Ibadan.

In the FCT, Abuja Municipal, Asokoro, Bwari, Garki, Gwagwalada, Gwarinpa, Kubwa, Kuje, Kwali, Lugbe, Maitama, Nyanya and Wuse were among the locations listed as facing high flood risk.

The Centre said several riverine and coastal communities in Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom had been classified as critical-risk areas.

It urged residents of critical-risk communities to maintain an immediate flood watch, identify evacuation routes and protect vulnerable persons and essential property.

Residents were also advised against settling, parking, trading or storing goods on floodplains, wetlands, riverbanks and low-lying drainage corridors.

The Centre directed State Controllers, State Emergency Management Agencies, local government environmental officers and community flood focal persons to intensify monitoring of rivers, streams, culverts, bridges, drains, estuaries, reservoirs and erosion-prone areas.

For high-risk communities, it recommended intensified drainage clearance and close monitoring of culverts and waterways, with prompt reporting of heavy rainfall, ponding, dam releases and changes in river levels.

It further advised communities on the moderate-risk watchlist to remain vigilant, warning that prolonged or consecutive rainfall could rapidly increase local flood risks.

The Centre urged residents to comply with evacuation orders issued by competent authorities, keep children away from floodwater and avoid walking or driving through flowing water.

It also advised residents to disconnect electricity where flooding was imminent and secure medicines, important documents, food and potable water.

The Centre stressed that the forecast should be considered alongside real-time rainfall, drainage and river-level conditions, as well as official emergency directives.

It added that observations and reports from state governments, relevant stakeholders and community focal persons would be used to update the flood-risk database.