Environmental stakeholders and urban property coalitions have called on the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to execute immediate flood mitigation measures following heavy seasonal downpours that submerged parts of Abuja.
The appeal was made on Wednesday during an emergency briefing organised by the FCT Stakeholders Forum for Development in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, David Kente warned that rapid urban expansion and choked municipal drainage networks are severely compounding climate vulnerabilities across the territory.
“Recent heavy rainfall has led to flooding in several areas of the FCT, triggering intense public concern,” Kente said.
“We must take immediate action to desilt critical drainage channels, enforce zoning laws against waterway encroachment, and comprehensively review the master plan to match current weather realities.”
The downpour left parts of Wuse 2, including Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, as well as the area around Delight Event Centre in Gudu and Efab Estate in Lokogoma, heavily flooded.
The bridge linking Gaduwa and Durumi was also heavily flooded, leaving motorists stranded and disrupting movement.
Environmental engineers said intense, erratic precipitation driven by changing climate patterns required municipal authorities to move beyond reactive clearing toward comprehensive structural overhauls.
The coalition urged relevant regulatory bodies to ensure strict compliance with environmental impact assessments for all new construction projects, warning that failure to protect natural floodplains will continue to endanger urban communities and critical infrastructure.
Urban planners also emphasised that public awareness campaigns must accompany physical infrastructure upgrades, urging residents to stop improper solid waste disposal habits that routinely block vital runoff channels.
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) has warned that flooding could worsen between August and September.
