- The Nigerian Conservation Foundation urged using floodwaters for power, irrigation, and waste-to-resource initiatives.
- Experts recommended deploying dams and tidal waters for renewable energy to reduce flooding and boost electricity.
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has urged Nigeria to manage floodwaters more effectively and convert them into sources of power and irrigation. Adedamola Ogunsesan, the NCF’s Director of Technical Programmes, also said communities can turn floods into productive assets through proper planning and technology.
“We must institutionalise circular economy practices that convert waste into resources,” Ogunsesan said. “Floodwaters can power turbines or support irrigation if we manage them properly. To achieve this, we must map floodplains accurately and involve communities in flood planning.”
Furthermore, he said citizens must treat environmental protection as an investment in their future, not a government obligation. He mentioned that cities can achieve resilience when planners integrate nature into urban design. “Every landscape demands unique strategies,” he said. “If we build with nature, not against it, we will create stronger, more liveable cities for future generations.”
The National President of the Nigerian Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment, Dr Waliu Adeolu, urged the government to use dam water for power generation and agriculture instead of releasing it during heavy rainfall.
“Our dams can support irrigation and electricity generation,” Adeolu said. “If we increase hydroelectric output, we can triple or quadruple current generation levels and reduce flooding.”
Electrical engineer Fubara Omubo advised Nigeria to adopt new hydropower methods that transform excess water into renewable energy.
He said tidal power and run-of-river hydropower could generate electricity while helping to control floods. “Run-of-river systems use flowing rivers without large dams,” Omubo said. “They provide clean power and reduce overflow risks.”
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said floods this year killed 165 people, displaced 43,936 others, and affected nearly 120,000 people across 19 states. NEMA reported that the disaster destroyed 8,594 houses and 8,278 farmlands. This data further underscores the importance of harnessing floodwater for power generation and irrigation.