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Flash flooding in western Nigeria over the weekend (June 2) caused devastation around Mokwa in Niger state, leaving more than 150 dead and displacing 3,000 people—over half of whom are children aged 12 and under, the UN reported on Monday.
Nigerian officials estimate more than 500 people are still missing and presumed dead. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, a former Nigerian government minister, expressed her heartbreak at the scale of the loss and damage. “My deepest condolences to all those affected—especially the families who have lost loved ones. My prayers are with you,” she said.
UN agencies and partners are collaborating with the Nigerian government to deliver vital humanitarian aid to the affected households in Niger State. Starting May 29, heavy rains in Mokwa, a key trading hub, caused flash floods that destroyed entire neighborhoods. Hundreds died, thousands were displaced, and critical roads and bridges were damaged, disrupting movement and economic activity.
In 2024, September floods killed 230 in Borno state and displaced over 600,000. In 2022, severe floods affected 34 of Nigeria’s 36 states, killing hundreds and displacing more than 1.3 million. A recent UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report links the increasing severity to climate change and rising surface and water temperatures, impacting the African continent heavily.
According to UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, Nigerian authorities are leading recovery efforts, with UN agencies and partners providing additional support. The WHO is preparing to send medicine and medical equipment to bolster existing primary healthcare systems.ary care systems.