FG issues alert over rising level of River Niger

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) issued an urgent warning on Friday about rising water levels in the River Niger system.

Mr. Umar Mohammed, Director-General of NIHSA, stated that floodwaters from neighboring countries are moving towards Nigeria, starting with Kebbi. This development is linked to upstream activities in Niger and Mali, according to reports from the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) in Niamey.

NIHSA has notified the dam operators at Kainji and Jebba on the River Niger, and they are prepared to act if necessary. As of August 22, the dams are not currently releasing water from their reservoirs.

The Director-General warned that flooding risks are expected to peak by the end of August and into September, urging states and communities along the River Niger to stay alert.

NIHSA will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide regular updates. The World Economic Forum reported that Nigeria experienced its most severe seasonal floods in a decade in 2012, resulting in over 600 deaths and displacing 1.3 million people. Additionally, more than 200,000 homes and 266,000 acres of farmland were damaged. The last major flood emergency occurred between July and October 2012, when the Niger and Benue rivers overflowed.