Assessment of Governmental and Non-Governmental Policies on Flood Disaster Management in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Flood disasters have increasingly become a major environmental and socio-economic challenge in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Nigeria, resulting in loss of lives, displacement of residents, destruction of infrastructure, and disruption of economic activities. This study examined governmental and non-governmental policies on flood disaster management in the FCT Abuja with the aim of assessing institutional interventions, spatial flood vulnerability, and factors influencing flood risks within the study area. The study adopted a mixed-method research design involving questionnaire administration, field observations, institutional assessment, and Geographic Information System (GIS)-based spatial analysis. A total of 286 respondents were sampled from selected flood-prone communities across the FCT. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, mean ranking, and spatial vulnerability mapping techniques. The findings revealed that governmental flood disaster management policies are primarily implemented through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), with interventions focused mainly on emergency response, evacuation, relief distribution, and early warning dissemination. However, the effectiveness of these policies is hindered by inadequate funding, weak enforcement of land use regulations, poor urban planning practices, and limited institutional capacity. The study also found that non-governmental organizations, particularly the Nigerian Red Cross Society, play significant complementary roles through community sensitization, disaster preparedness training, humanitarian assistance, and resilience-building initiatives at the grassroots level. The study concludes that flood disaster management efforts in the FCT Abuja remain largely reactive rather than preventive. It recommends improved institutional coordination, stricter enforcement of environmental regulations, sustainable urban planning, enhanced community participation, and greater investment in long-term flood mitigation and preparedness strategies to reduce future flood risks.