Cameroon's Water Release Sparks Flood Warnings in Nigeria: 11 States at Risk

Nigeria's hydrological services agency has warned of potential flooding in 11 states due to water releases from Cameroon's Lagdo dam after heavy rainfall in West and Central Africa. This comes as Nigeria deals with severe floods in the northeast. The agency urges preparedness to mitigate potential impacts.

Nigeria's Hydrological Services Agency has issued a warning about potential flooding in 11 states after Cameroon began releasing water from the Lagdo dam due to recent heavy rainfall across West and Central Africa. The warning is especially urgent as Nigeria is already contending with severe floods in its northeastern Borno state, where a dam burst following heavy rains that have also affected Cameroon, Chad, Mali, and Niger.

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) announced that Cameroonian authorities had started controlled releases of water from the Lagdo dam. The dam is located on the Benue River, which flows downstream into Nigeria. According to NIHSA, the water release will be managed to not exceed the river's capacity and thereby prevent flooding.

However, 11 states—including the central belt food producers Benue, Nasarawa, and Kogi, and southern oil-producing states such as Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers—face significant risks, the agency said. It urged federal and state authorities to enhance vigilance and deploy sufficient preparedness measures to mitigate potential flood impacts. Past incidents, like the 2022 floods that claimed over 600 lives and extensive farmlands, underline the need for prompt and effective action.

(With inputs from agencies.)