The Federal Government on Wednesday urged Nigerians to begin immediate preparations for possible flooding as the rainy season intensifies, warning that climate change has significantly altered the country’s rainfall patterns and heightened flood risks across several states.
The call was made by the Special Assistant to the President on Climate Change Matters, Yussuf Kelani, who said recent flooding in Lagos and other parts of the country should serve as a wake-up call for governments, communities and citizens to prioritise disaster preparedness and climate resilience.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Kelani said climate change was no longer a future environmental concern but a present-day national development challenge requiring coordinated action at all levels.
He said, “Climate change has altered the frequency, duration and intensity of rainfall across many regions of the country. Instead of moderate rainfall spread over several days, communities increasingly experience short-duration but extremely heavy downpours that overwhelm drainage infrastructure, flood rivers, destroy roads and displace entire communities.”
According to him, scientific evidence has shown that rising global temperatures are increasing atmospheric moisture, resulting in heavier rainfall and more frequent flooding, coastal erosion, desertification and prolonged droughts in different parts of Nigeria.
