In a concerted effort to strengthen flood preparedness and response mechanisms in Northeast Nigeria, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), North East Zonal Office Maiduguri, in collaboration with the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (BOSEMA), convened a three-day stakeholders’ engagement on flood response in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Held from July 29th to 31st, 2025, at the Grand Pinnacle Hotel, the engagement brought together a wide array of key players across the emergency management and humanitarian sectors. The event served as a critical platform for dialogue, collaboration, and capacity-building among actors committed to minimizing the impact of seasonal floods on vulnerable communities in the region.
The engagement was organized in partnership with several local and international organizations, including the Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA), North East Development Commission (NEDC), German Humanitarian Assistance, International Rescue Committee, International Organization for Migration (IOM-UN Migration), Building Opportunities for Sustainable African Integrated Development (BOAID), Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster, Caritas Germany, Caritas Nigeria, and the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) Maiduguri.
Given the recurring flood threats that increasingly endanger lives, displace populations, and damage infrastructure during the rainy season, the engagement was designed to enhance early warning systems, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and improve the capacity of responders at state and community levels.
Over the course of the three days, participants engaged in expert-led lectures, practical demonstrations, and interactive sessions covering key aspects of disaster response. These included effective early warning dissemination strategies, community evacuation procedures, emergency shelter management, and coordination frameworks for multi-agency response operations.
Attendees were drawn from federal and state emergency agencies, security formations, humanitarian organizations, and grassroots-based civil society groups. The diversity of participants underscored the need for inclusive disaster preparedness and response, particularly in a state where climate-induced hazards such as flooding exacerbate existing humanitarian challenges.
The collaborative sessions also served as an opportunity for agencies to harmonize their contingency plans, identify operational gaps, and share lessons learned from past disaster responses. A recurring theme throughout the engagement was the urgency of community engagement and resilience-building at the local level.
By convening this multi-sectoral engagement, NEMA and BOSEMA have reaffirmed their joint commitment to fostering a proactive disaster management culture in Borno State. The agencies emphasized that early preparation, local capacity strengthening, and seamless coordination are essential to safeguarding lives and property, especially in high-risk flood-prone communities.
As climate variability continues to affect weather patterns across Nigeria, initiatives like this serve not only as a preparedness measure but as a testament to the importance of partnerships in achieving timely and life-saving emergency interventions.
