Large-scale floods in Nigeria are causing damage to the agricultural sector.

According to Vanguard AgroBiz data, farmers across the country are facing a threat to the survival of their businesses due to the consequences of flooding. The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) forecasts that between July 21 and July 27, the risk of flooding persists in 17 states, including Bauchi, Edo, Imo, Kaduna, Plateau, and Benue.

The Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Rivers State chapter, Akandu Nwagwuagu, reported the destruction of crops and the loss of poultry, fish, and livestock worth billions of naira. The Tai, Eleme, Oyigbo, and Etche areas were affected. In Rivers State, cases of fatalities on flooded agricultural roads have also been recorded. The situation was confirmed by representatives of the Potato Farmers Association of Nigeria (POFAN) and the Small Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON), who noted the critical state of affairs in Rivers, Anambra, and Bayelsa states.

Private agricultural producers are also reporting serious losses. Ajose Oluwaseun, a vegetable grower from the Igbo-Nla settlement (Lagos State), stated that he lost an investment of approximately 40 million naira put into the cultivation of tomatoes and habanero peppers. Due to excess soil moisture, the farmer was unable to harvest a full crop of maize, and a large portion of his land was flooded between July 12 and July 15.

The Governor of Niger State, Umar Bago, attributed the destruction of farms to the overflow of the Kainji, Jebba, Shiroro, and Zungeru dams caused by heavy rainfall. Against this backdrop, industry representatives are calling for the implementation of early warning systems, the development of insurance, and the provision of financial support at all levels of government.

Nevertheless, the industry situation is heterogeneous. The National President of the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN), Aliyu Isah, reported that in Plateau, Bauchi, and Kaduna states, onion producers have not recorded any significant incidents. According to him, damage was prevented thanks to proactive measures and adherence to weather forecasts.