The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the release of funds to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other key agencies to mitigate the anticipated impact of severe flooding across Nigeria.

Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, announced the decision on Thursday in Abuja while addressing journalists after the NEC meeting chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

The move follows a recent alert from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), which warned that 1,249 communities in 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are at high risk of flooding due to predictions of above-normal rainfall.

“Flooding is a shared challenge and requires a whole-of-society approach,” Edun said.
“All tiers of government must be fully involved, from enforcement of planning laws to equipping emergency response teams.”

He explained that the approved funds will be allocated to:

·         NEMA

·         Federal Ministries of Water Resources, Environment, and Budget & Economic Planning

·         State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) and the FCT administration

Additionally, local emergency management committees will be established and activated in all 774 local government areas (LGAs) to boost grassroots disaster response capacity.

“Last year, funds were released for similar intervention. This year, we’ve been mandated again to roll out an intervention programme to support flood prevention and timely relief,” Edun said.

Also speaking at the briefing, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, announced the rollout of the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme  a grassroots employment and development initiative covering all 8,809 wards across Nigeria.

“Having stabilised the macroeconomy, we must now drill development down to the lowest levels to stimulate economic activity and employment in every community,” Bagudu noted.

The programme aims to:

·         Create jobs at the ward level

·         Reduce poverty and food insecurity

·         Strengthen social protection through community-led development

Bagudu described the programme as the next phase of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, promising a strong partnership between federal and state governments to unlock grassroots potential.

NEC, Nigeria’s top economic policymaking body, includes all 36 state governors, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and key ministers, and is tasked with shaping coordinated responses to national economic and social challenges.