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As torrential rains have unleashed the worst floods in decades across Central and West Africa, Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria’s Borno state, finds itself grappling with a dual crisis: the flood disaster and the lingering insurgency of Islamic extremists.
The floods, which have claimed over 1,000 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands across the region, have worsened humanitarian conditions in countries like Chad, Nigeria, Mali, and Niger. According to the U.N., more than four million people have been affected by flooding this year alone in West Africa—a threefold increase from last year.
In Borno state, already scarred by a decade of Boko Haram violence, the situation is particularly dire. Over 600,000 people have been displaced, with at least 100 killed in the floods. Local authorities are overwhelmed, and crucial infrastructure has been destroyed, including two major dikes of a dam, resulting in the release of billions of liters of water into Maiduguri. Key bridges collapsed, and floods severely damaged the city’s prison, allowing hundreds of inmates to escape.
Survivors described harrowing scenes. Aishatu Ba’agana, a mother of three, was forced to abandon her newborn as her home was submerged. “I haven’t seen my family since,” she said, crying in a shelter where rescue workers had brought her. The floodwaters also took the lives of 80% of the animals at Borno State Museum Park, while others escaped.
Despite ongoing rescue efforts, some areas remain underwater, and more rains are expected. Local authorities, stretched beyond capacity, have appealed for international aid. Governor Babagana Zulum emphasized the urgency, stating, “Our resources are stretched to the limit, and we cannot do this alone.” The World Food Program has set up emergency food kitchens, and USAID has provided $3 million in assistance, but for many, help has come too late or not at all.
People like Saleh Bukar, a resident of Maiduguri, have taken matters into their own hands. After being displaced, he and a friend used a canoe to rescue 25 people and recover 10 bodies from the floodwaters. Now sheltering in a local school with 5,000 others, Bukar volunteers to cook meals. “I am volunteering to help, but I am also a victim,” he said. “Our people need us. They need help.”
As the region braces for more rains, the devastation left in the wake of these floods is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of African countries to extreme weather, despite their minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. The World Meteorological Organization has warned that by 2030, as many as 118 million Africans could be impacted by such climate disasters, underscoring the urgent need for both global climate action and immediate humanitarian relief.
