UN Allocates $5m For Anticipatory Flood Action In Nigeria

The United Nations has released $5 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to aid in anticipatory measures against severe flooding in Nigeria.

The announcement, made by UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher, was highlighted by Mohamed Fall, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria.

Fall emphasised the critical importance of taking proactive measures in response to predictable climate shocks.

“Anticipating and acting ahead of crises such as floods saves lives and livelihoods, lowering vulnerability,” he said.

He emphasised the importance of this approach, especially given the dwindling funds for global humanitarian action.

“This proactive approach not only mitigates the worst effects of emergencies, but it also helps to reduce the overall cost of humanitarian response,” Fall explained.

The $5 million allocation supplements existing government-led efforts by establishing a dedicated anticipatory action taskforce.

This taskforce, which reports to the Office of the Vice President, works with key agencies such as the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, and the National Emergency Management Agency, as well as the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

This funding adds to previous CERF allocations. In October 2024, $5 million was released to meet immediate needs in Borno, Bauchi, and Sokoto states following devastating floods.

This was supplemented by $6 million from the Nigerian Humanitarian Fund (NHF), including $2 million for proactive measures. The floods displaced an estimated 400,000 people, decimated livelihoods, and destroyed vast areas of farmland.

NiMET’s 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction predicts the start of the rainy season in northern states such as Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara between early June and July 2025.

This occurs during the lean season, increasing the risk of food insecurity, malnutrition, and disease outbreaks such as cholera.

Nigeria’s 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) has set aside 5% ($45 million) of its total budget ($910 million) for anticipatory action.

However, the current CERF allocation only covers 11% of this need, emphasising the critical need for additional funding to ramp up early action efforts and mitigate the impact of the anticipated floods.