As floodwaters continue to rise across parts of Nigeria, the World Food Programme (WFP) is scaling up its Anticipatory Action (AA) efforts in Adamawa State to reduce the humanitarian impact of flooding and support early recovery for vulnerable communities. The Nigerian government has reported rapidly increasing water levels in several riverine areas, with downstream communities at particular risk. So far in 2025, flooding has affected over 315,700 people across 25 states, displacing more than 113,000 individuals and destroying over 46,000 hectares of farmland—posing a severe threat to food security and livelihoods. The Northeast region has been hardest hit, with approximately 64,600 people impacted by rising waters. This marks the second consecutive year of catastrophic flooding, following last year’s disaster that affected more than 5.2 million people and resulted in over 1,200 deaths.
To mitigate the impact, WFP launched its anticipatory response in early September, reaching families in Adamawa State before the floods struck. Working closely with government agencies and humanitarian partners, WFP provided multi-purpose cash assistance to more than 75,800 people—about 8,800 households—across Fufore, Girei, Yola North, and Yola South Local Government Areas. Each household received ₦208,184 (around $139 USD) within 72 hours of the response, enabling them to prepare, relocate, and meet urgent needs ahead of the floods. The initiative also promoted financial inclusion, with over 2,700 households supported in opening bank accounts for direct cash access, helping to strengthen local economies and resilience.
WFP continues to engage affected communities through its Community Feedback Mechanism to address urgent needs and coordinate further support through partners within the AA working group. As flooding peaks, the organization is closely monitoring developments and collaborating with partners to ensure timely and effective assistance to those most affected.
Despite these efforts, funding shortfalls pose a significant challenge. The AA response was only activated in four Local Government Areas in Adamawa, even though floods have affected 112 LGAs across the wider region. WFP’s 2025 AA activation was made possible through US$1.75 million in funding from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). However, the agency still faces a net funding requirement of US$81 million to sustain its humanitarian operations across Nigeria through March 2026. Without additional support, WFP lacks contingency funding and food reserves to address escalating flood emergencies.
