Four of Nigeria’s most flood-prone states have approved a landmark pilot programme to protect riverine households, under a new partnership between the Federal Government, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and global risk financing firm, PULA Advisors.
Anambra, Benue, Kebbi, and Kogi states will lead the first phase of the Riverine Household Flood Protection Pilot, which will cover 100,000 households identified as most vulnerable in the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook.
The approval was announced on Wednesday in Abuja at the close of a two-day Technical Workshop on the pilot exercise, jointly convened by NEMA and PULA Advisors.
Speaking at the event, PULA Advisors’ Country Director, Dr. Mike Enahoro, said the pilot would be data-driven, with a clear path for expansion after evaluation.
In arriving at the selected states for this pilot phase, data from Federal Government Agencies was used, and the watchword was vulnerability. The pilot phase will see 100,000 household covered in this scheme, mind you, we will relay on accurate data for the most vulnerable households to be captured. There is possibility of scaling up after a holistic assessment of the pilot phase.” He stated.
Appreciating NEMA’s leadership, Dr. Enahoro noted that “NEMA leadership has been talking with PULA Advisors in finding a lasting solution and reducing the impact on people vulnerable to floodings.”
Also speaking, the Director-General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar Abubakar, said the initiative signals a shift from disaster response to disaster prevention, in line with the agency’s 2026-2029 strategic plan.
“This initiative also reflects the federal government’s commitment to strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction and NEMA’s strategic plan 2026-2029 also put priorities on early warning and disaster risk financing.
“The 2026 Annual Flood Outlook again lists about 23 states at high risk of flooding, and the four pilot are in the list of high risk and most vulnerable.
“This reality further demands we move beyond responding to disaster after they occur. We must embrace innovative approaches that anticipate risk, reduce vulnerabilities, and provide timely financial protection for those most at risk,” Abubakar stated.
The pilot will deploy disaster risk financing tools to provide timely financial protection to households living along riverbanks before floods occur.
With all four states now on board, implementation is expected to commence immediately, targeting riverine communities in Anambra, Benue, Kebbi, and Kogi.
The workshop marks a significant step in the journey of the Riverine Households Flood Protection Pilot, which represents a bold and forward-looking initiative that leverages Disaster Risk Financing to strengthen resilience before disasters strike.
