Nigerian authorities on Thursday issued an alert to 28 out of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in the country, warning of severe flooding this year.
Minister of Water Resources Suleiman Adamu said at the public presentation of Nigeria's 2021 Annual Flood Outlook in Abuja that the latest flood projections show varying severity across parts of the country.
Adamu said the newly released annual forecast by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency shows states close to the major rivers in the country are likely to be worst hit by the impending disaster.
The Federal Capital Territory and Lagos, the nation's commercial hub, are among the states to experience heavy flooding, Adamu said.
The official said some 302 local government areas out of a total of 774 in the country would likely be affected by the floods.
"The states surrounding Rivers Niger and Benue are, without doubt, going to experience severe flooding," Adamu said.
Noting that floods come with attendant health risks through the contamination of potable water sources, the minister said the 2021 flooding will be exacerbated by the continuing ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this light, Adamu said the government was controlling water flow in streams through the construction of dams, reservoirs and artificial lakes with a view to making it less destructive.