HEDA, NIHSA Launch Nationwide Dissemination, Training and Sensitisation on 2026 Annual Flood Outlook Across Nigeria’s Six Geopolitical Zones
HEDA Resource Centre, in collaboration with Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, has announced a nationwide dissemination, training, and sensitisation programme on the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) aimed at strengthening public understanding of flood risks, improving preparedness, and supporting early action across vulnerable communities in Nigeria.
The two-day virtual programme will bring together participants from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, including farmers, agricultural cooperatives, community leaders, media professionals, civil society organisations, researchers, humanitarian actors, and personnel from Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Water Resources, and Emergency Management Agencies.
The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to simplify and disseminate flood forecast information in ways that are practical, accessible, and useful to communities most affected by recurring floods and climate-related disasters.
According to HEDA Resource Centre, improving public understanding of flood risks is critical not only for disaster preparedness, but also for protecting agriculture, rural livelihoods, and food security across Nigeria. The organisation noted that farmers remain among the groups most affected by annual flooding, with repeated losses to farmlands, fisheries, livestock, storage facilities, and transportation routes contributing significantly to food insecurity and economic hardship.
The dissemination and sensitisation programme is therefore designed to help participants understand flood-prone areas, likely impacts within their regions, and practical preparedness measures that can reduce losses before and during the rainy season.
Speaking on the programme, HEDA’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Sulaimon Arigbabu, stressed the need to move flood information beyond technical reports into practical community knowledge.
“Every year, flood predictions are released, but many communities still do not receive the information in ways they can understand or act upon. This programme is about simplifying the Annual Flood Outlook and ensuring that farmers, local institutions, media organisations, and communities are better prepared ahead of the peak rainfall period,” he said.
The sessions will be delivered in Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Pidgin, and English to ensure wider participation and understanding across different regions of the country.
HEDA further called on media organisations, particularly radio stations and community broadcasters, to actively participate in the programme. According to the organisation, the media plays a major role in translating and disseminating flood information to local communities, especially rural populations with limited access to digital platforms and official reports.
The organisation maintained that journalists, broadcasters, and media practitioners must understand the Annual Flood Outlook well enough to communicate flood risks responsibly, accurately, and consistently to the public before disasters occur.
The programme will cover practical areas including interpretation of the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook, flood risk communication, early warning dissemination, protection of farmlands and livelihoods, community preparedness measures, and coordinated response planning at community and institutional levels.
HEDA also encouraged State Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Water Resources, Emergency Management Agencies, local governments, civil society groups, and community-based organisations to participate actively and support wider dissemination of the flood outlook within their states and communities.
The programme is scheduled to hold virtually on May 19 and 20, 2026, with separate regional sessions for participants across Northern and Southern Nigeria.
