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The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has warned that at least 19 states across the country may experience flash flooding in the coming days due to the increasing intensity of early rains associated with the 2026 wet season. In an advisory released on Thursday, the agency explained that the risk is being heightened by dry and hardened soil surfaces that currently have low water absorption capacity, causing rainwater to flow rapidly across roads and communities. 
According to NiMet, the states at risk include Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Anambra, Kwara, Nasarawa, Zamfara, and parts of the North-Central region. The agency warned that urban centres with poor drainage systems and flood-prone communities could experience severe waterlogging and disruption if heavy rainfall persists. 
NiMet advised residents to take precautionary measures, including clearing blocked drainage channels, avoiding driving or walking through flooded roads, and remaining alert during periods of intense rainfall and thunderstorms. The agency also urged emergency management authorities and state governments to strengthen preparedness efforts to reduce potential damage to lives, homes, and infrastructure. 
The warning comes weeks after the Federal Government, through the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), projected that more than 30 states and the FCT could face varying degrees of flooding during the 2026 rainy season. Experts have repeatedly cautioned that poor urban planning, blocked waterways, and climate-related weather changes continue to increase flood risks across Nigeria. 
