Kaduna Launches Major Drainage Desilting Initiative To Combat Flooding.
The Kaduna State Government has initiated a significant environmental project, desilting 200,000 metres of drainage systems across the state to mitigate the devastating effects of flooding. The programme, flagged off on 21 August 2025 in the state capital, Kaduna, includes the dredging and expansion of the River Kaduna and is supported by the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) initiative. Abubakar Buba, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, announced the effort, represented by Permanent Secretary Linda Yakubu, highlighting its expansion from last year’s 160,000 metres to better protect flood-prone communities.
The initiative targets key areas including Kaduna, Zaria, and Kafanchan, with the flag-off event held in Sabon Tasha, a location previously hit by flash floods. Buba noted that the increased scope aims to ensure a freer flow of water, reducing the risk of flooding that has repeatedly plagued the region. The project is part of a broader response to warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which identified Kaduna among states likely to face heavy rainfall and potential flooding between 10 and 14 August 2025.
The Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has also issued evacuation advisories for residents in low-lying and riverbank areas, urging them to relocate to safer grounds as the rainy season peaks. A senior official from the Ministry of Environment described the response as a “full-scale emergency,” with additional measures like intensified drainage clearing and the installation of automated flood early warning systems and weather monitoring stations to provide timely alerts.
The state’s proactive measures follow the catastrophic Mokwa flood earlier this year, which claimed over 200 lives and displaced thousands in Niger State. Kaduna’s efforts aim to prevent similar disasters, with officials attributing many flooding incidents to human activities, such as the blockage of waterways with waste. The government has called on residents to avoid indiscriminate waste disposal and report blocked drains, emphasising that sustainable environmental management requires collective responsibility.
This initiative reflects Kaduna’s commitment to building resilience against climate-driven flooding, with ongoing dredging activities already showing progress, such as the clearing of 800 metres of the Ifira river along the Kaduna International Airport road. The state’s comprehensive approach, including stakeholder collaboration and infrastructure upgrades, signals a determined effort to safeguard communities and prevent the recurring trauma of flood-related losses.
