By Cross Udo, Abuja
The National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday approved the release of N83.21 billion for flood preparedness and climate disaster mitigation across the country, in a major policy shift aimed at preventing the devastating impact of annual flooding rather than responding after disasters occur.
The council, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, also indicated that additional funds could be released as assessments of flood threats and vulnerable communities continue nationwide.
The approved amount represents 50 per cent of the N166.42 billion requested by the Anticipatory Action Task Force (AATF), established to coordinate early interventions against flooding and other climate-related emergencies.
The intervention comes amid forecasts of severe flooding in several states during the 2026 rainy season and growing concerns over the increasing frequency of climate-related disasters across the country.
Briefing State House Correspondents after the meeting, Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, said the approval marked a significant departure from Nigeria’s traditional disaster management model, which has largely focused on post-disaster relief.
“I want you to know that this is the first time, as a nation, that we are taking proactive steps. Most of the time, we wait until floods have caused significant damage before taking action.
“This time, under the leadership of the Chairman of the Council, the Vice President, we are taking proactive measures to mitigate the potential impact of flooding, which has become a recurring challenge,” Otu said.
He explained that the funds would be disbursed through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) mechanism to designated agencies and beneficiaries responsible for implementing preventive measures in flood-prone areas.
According to him, the council members unanimously agreed that the government must move beyond emergency response and embrace anticipatory action to tackle natural disasters.
“Council underscored the importance of the Anticipatory Action Task Force in addressing disasters and climate-related emergencies across the country.
“Members agreed that NEC must not always be seen reacting to disasters after they occur but should take steps to prevent or mitigate their impact,” he said.
Explaining why the council approved only half of the requested amount, Otu said the decision was informed by the need to balance available resources with immediate intervention requirements.
“We felt it was important to begin putting measures in place. As we evaluate and assess the situation in the future, the council will certainly make additional provisions where necessary,” he stated.
“You also have to look at the intervention within the context of available resources. The idea is to deploy what is currently available proactively and establish mechanisms to reduce the impact of flooding before it occurs.
“That is essentially why the council decided to reduce the proposal by 50 per cent. As we move forward and continue to evaluate the situation, more adequate provisions can be made where required.”
*Additional funding possible as council assesses nationwide risks
Beyond flood mitigation, the council also considered a proposed National Regional Development Policy (NRDP) 2026–2030 designed to tackle longstanding developmental disparities across Nigeria’s regions and strengthen coordination among regional development commissions.
Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, who briefed journalists on the proposal, said the policy had become necessary in view of persistent spatial inequalities, fragmented regional interventions and the need to align development planning with global best practices.
According to him, the framework will provide strategic oversight for regional development initiatives, coordinate development master plans in partnership with state governments and strengthen the operations of regional development commissions.
The policy is also expected to support the Tinubu administration’s priority areas, including economic growth, food security, national security, energy development, infrastructure expansion, education, healthcare, social investment, industrialisation, innovation and the digital economy.
Among the proposals presented before NEC were the endorsement of the National Regional Development Policy 2026–2030, approval of a Regional Development Policy Framework, support for state-level adoption of the policy and the establishment of a Regional Development Bank.
At the end of deliberations, the council directed the Minister of Regional Development to circulate the draft policy to state governors for review and input, and to hold consultations with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to secure broad stakeholder participation.
NEC said the initiative would deepen collaboration between federal and state governments, strengthen regional development institutions and provide a coordinated framework for addressing developmental imbalances across the federation.
With the approval of the N83.21 billion intervention fund, the council signalled a decisive shift towards disaster prevention, while keeping the option of additional funding on the table as flood threats across the country continue to evolve.
