Governments in Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States have launched coordinated flood-mitigation efforts ahead of the peak rainy season, deploying mapping technologies, dredging equipment, and public sensitisation campaigns in response to projections from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) warning of possible widespread flooding.
In Ondo State, authorities are conducting comprehensive flood mapping to identify vulnerable zones and determine the underlying environmental risks. The initiative, according to Environment Commissioner Tob Loko, reflects a shift toward a “data-driven, preventative” approach to managing disaster risks.
“We are not just identifying flood-prone zones,” Loko said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), “we’re also investigating the structural and ecological causes that make them vulnerable.”
Loko said contingency measures, including temporary relocation and emergency relief, are in place should any area be inadvertently omitted during mapping. He also urged residents, especially those in high-risk communities, to cooperate with government officials during assessments.
Meanwhile, the state’s Ministry of Environment is intensifying mechanical channelisation efforts, with three amphibious excavators working across Ondo’s senatorial districts to clear waterways. Administrative Secretary Olumide Kinga said the government has ordered local councils to submit details of critical drainage systems needing attention within a week.
“We’re also cracking down on people who block drainages,” Kinga said, noting that an improved waste collection system is being rolled out to address persistent disposal challenges.
In Osun, Swamp Buggies and Public Warnings
In neighbouring Osun State, officials say the early deployment of three swamp buggies to strategic waterways has helped avert flood disasters so far this year.
“These machines are constantly at work, dredging rivers to expand water passages,” said Deola Oni, General Manager of the Osun Emergency Management Agency (OSEMA). “We’ve also increased relief readiness and public awareness efforts to keep communities alert and informed.”
Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Mayowa Adejoorin, said Osun began clearing waterways as early as November 2024 based on NiMet’s forecasts. Structures built on water channels have been demolished, and awareness campaigns continue across the state via media outlets.
“Thanks to the governor’s proactive strategy, Osun has not recorded any major or minor flooding this year,” Adejoorin said. “But we’re not taking chances. Sensitisation continues.”
A NAN correspondent who visited the Ita-Olookan section of the Osun River in Osogbo observed a swamp buggy at work and new concrete embankments being constructed to prevent overflow.
Ekiti Targets Illegal Structures and Risk Zones
In Ekiti State, the government has begun marking unauthorised structures built on waterways for potential demolition. Deputy Governor Monisade Afuye told NAN the action follows repeated flood and storm damage in 2024 and early 2025, as well as NiMet’s designation of the state as a flood-prone zone this year.
“We must act quickly to prevent another round of devastation,” Afuye said, urging local governments to desilt drainages, discourage construction on floodplains, and implement grassroots disaster-awareness programmes.
Ekiti’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) head, Dr Kofoworola Soleye, said flood-prone areas have been identified and the agency is working closely with the state on response strategies. The NEMA-led National Disaster Preparedness and Response Campaign was recently launched in Ekiti to mobilise stakeholders.
Tosin Ajisafe-Aluko, the state’s Commissioner for Environment, said routine clearing of drains is underway, and refuse bins have been installed at key locations to discourage indiscriminate dumping.
Adesina Abogunrin, who heads the Search and Rescue Unit in Ado-Ekiti, advised residents in high-risk zones to consider relocating to safer ground as a precaution.
A Broader Climate Warning
The initiatives come amid growing concern over the consequences of urban encroachment, poor waste management and erratic rainfall patterns across Nigeria. In recent years, flooding has caused fatalities, displaced thousands, and damaged critical infrastructure nationwide.
The southwest states’ response marks one of the more comprehensive regional efforts to tackle these risks preemptively — a move experts say could be a model for other parts of the country.
