FG Unveils ₦6.3bn Loan Scheme for 21,000 Nigerians Hit by Floods

The Federal Government has announced plans to disburse ₦6.3 billion in interest-free loans to 21,000 Nigerians affected by recent flooding across the country.

Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Sununu, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during a roundtable marking the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Sununu explained that each beneficiary will receive ₦300,000 as part of a collateral-free intervention aimed at cushioning the effects of flooding and bolstering food security nationwide.

“This initiative is targeted at farmers and communities hit hardest by floods. Disbursement will begin in the coming weeks,” the minister stated.

He further revealed that, under the National Social Investment Programme, the government has so far supported over 8.1 million households with more than ₦300 billion in Conditional Cash Transfers.

“This support has improved the resilience, health, and education of vulnerable families, and will continue under President Tinubu’s Hope Agenda,” Sununu added.

The minister also announced a partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to empower internally displaced persons (IDPs). Under the plan, IDPs will retain 30% of their produce while the government purchases the remaining 70%, providing them with direct cash payments.

In her remarks, the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, emphasized the growing threat of climate-induced disasters in Nigeria, calling for a shift from reactive to preventive disaster management strategies.

She unveiled two new policy frameworks — the NEMA Strategic Plan (2025–2029) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy (2025–2030) — designed to strengthen national preparedness, resilience, and innovation in disaster financing.

According to NEMA’s 2025 Flood Dashboard, as of October 10, at least 238 people have died, 135,764 displaced, and over 409,000 affected by floods across several states.

The event was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, lawmakers, and international partners, who all reaffirmed commitment to building climate resilience and safeguarding vulnerable communities.