The country lost about $4.6 billion in economic damage to 2022 flooding, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) confirmed yesterday.

Its Director-General, Prof. Mansur Matazu, while admitting that the loss had negative effects on Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), added that the most populous black nation was recovering from the devastation.

He made the submission at a one-day high level advocacy workshop on ramping up access to climate information services for national development and food security in Nigeria, organised by Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA).

While quoting a World Bank survey, commissioned by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Matazu said the report was from a rapid assessment of cost implications of last year’s destruction on livelihoods, farmlands and infrastructure.

He said his agency was working assiduously to align with the current administration’s policy in achieving food security, sustainability and availability.

Describing climate change as a serious challenge, the NiMet boss stated that evidence abound in the country.

In his remarks, HEDA Executive Secretary, Sulaimon Arigbabu, blamed lack of access to climate information services for the loss suffered by farmers.

According to him, the country’s food crisis and insecurity are driven by resource constraints, triggered by climate change.

He said: “You will recall, there was major flooding in Nigeria last year. What many did not know is that something close to that happened this year, maybe not as negatively as that of last year, but because the impact of last year’s flooding still lingers in communities, so this is an additional stress for us, especially for our food-producing communities.”