The federal government has announced its preparedness to allocate ₦6.3 billion in interest-free loans to 21,000 flood victims across Nigeria.
This announcement was made by the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Sununu, during a roundtable event in Abuja on Monday, coinciding with the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Sununu explained that the initiative is aimed at mitigating the effects of flooding and improving food security throughout the country.
“In the upcoming weeks, 21,000 Nigerians will be granted interest-free, collateral-free loans of ₦300,000 each.
“This effort is intended to support farmers and strengthen communities impacted by the floods,” he stated.
Additionally, the minister revealed that the federal government has reached over 8.1 million households with more than ₦300 billion in Conditional Cash Transfers through the National Social Investment Programme.
“This support has bolstered the resilience, health, and education of many vulnerable families. The process will continue under the president’s Hope Agenda,” Sununu noted.
He also mentioned plans to empower internally displaced persons (IDPs) through a new scheme that guarantees a market for their agricultural products.
“In partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, IDPs will keep 30% of their produce while the government will purchase 70%, providing direct cash payments to the participants,” he elaborated.
Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, addressed the increasing threat of climate-related disasters and emphasized the need for stronger preventive measures.
She pointed out that Nigeria is facing growing risks from climate change, conflicts, pandemics, and technological hazards, advocating for a shift in disaster management from reactive to proactive strategies.
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Zubaida also announced the launch of two important policy frameworks — the NEMA Strategic Plan (2025–2029) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy (2025–2030) to guide future disaster preparedness and resilience-building efforts.
“These frameworks promote innovation in financing, institutional collaboration, and risk-informed development,” she stated, adding that NEMA is developing a national risk monitoring and information platform to enhance early warning systems and data-driven decision-making.
She further called for innovative financing options, including catastrophe bonds, climate funds, and blended finance models, to sustain disaster prevention and recovery initiatives.
The event, focused on building resilience against climate-related disasters, was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, lawmakers, and international partners.
Reports indicate that as of October 10, 2025, 238 individuals have lost their lives, and 135,764 others have been displaced due to floods that have affected various parts of the country, according to data from the NEMA’s 2025 flood dashboard.
NEMA reports that at least 409,714 people have been affected, with 826 sustaining injuries of varying degrees and 115 reported missing across the nation.
Flood-related deaths have been recorded in multiple states, contributing to the overall death toll of 238.
