The report of the newly deployed World Bank Global Rapid Post Disaster Assessment Damage Estimation technology on the 2022 flood that ravaged the 36 States of the Federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) indicated that Nigeria lost the estimated sum of $6.681 billion as direct damages recorded between June and November 2022.
Speaking during a press briefing where the public presentation of the report in Abuja on Friday, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management & Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, applauded the present administration’s prompt intervention towards alleviating the sufferings of the victims through provisions of 12MT of grains, as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the report, the flood affected residential buildings, non-Residential buildings, agriculture, and Infrastructure across the six geopolitical zones of the Federation.
She said: “The GRADE note is a fast first-order approximation of the economic impact and provides a quick high-level estimate of damages used to inform ongoing decisions in a timely fashion. It was developed using the empirical data defined in this document, calibrated against historical data and experience, including the 2012 Nigeria Floods PDNA (Post-Disaster Needs Assessment). The analysis period is from June 2022 to November 25th, 2022.”
According to the key findings of the GRADE report, all 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory were affected by the 2022 flood in Nigeria, with varying degrees of damages and people affected.
She disclosed that the worst affected states are: Jigawa, Rivers, Taraba, Cross River, Delta State, and Bayelsa.
“This analysis estimates that the total direct economic damages, based on currently reported statistics as of November 25th, are in the range of US$3.79 billion to US$9.12 billion, with the best (median) estimate at US$6.68 billion.
“This includes damages to residential and non-residential buildings (including building contents), as well as to infrastructure, productive sectors, and cropland,” she noted.
The Minister explained that the number of persons affected rose above 4.9 million (representing 2% of Nigeria’s population) as of November 25th, 2022.
According to the Minister, the counting of damaged buildings in most of the States affected is ongoing, while significant damage to Infrastructure, including roads, irrigation, and river Infrastructure, as well as WASH and electricity Infrastructure with around $1.23 billion ($0.959 – $1.724 billion) in damage expected.
Umar Farouq called on the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) to utilize the GRADE Assessment to plan the recovery and rehabilitation of victims of the flood as well as the responding MDAs in Federal, State, and Local Governments to also use the report to ameliorate the plight of victims of the 2022 flood.
In his remarks, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Nasir Sani-Manzo, applauded the Minister for approving to solicit support from the World Bank at the peak of the flooding in 2022 to assist us in the assessment because knowing fully well any disaster takes a minimum of six months.
Hence the resolve to opt for Global Rapid Post Disaster Assessment Damage Estimation Report.
He noted that: “with the population affected and houses damaged and destroyed. The situation could only be compared to 2012 in some localized areas across the entire country.
“The ministry and NEMA sought preliminary quantitative and spatial damage assessment from World Bank and with consideration that the technology that was used, which was the Grade, is considered to be faster than the traditional post-disaster needs assessment (PDNS), and it is very very accurate,” the Permanent Secretary noted.
He noted that the World Bank delivered the report in November 2022 while the Ministry, through NEMA, has started implementing some of the urgent findings and recommendations and embarked on consultations.
He confirmed that the World Bank graciously acceded to the Ministry’s request.
