The Maiduguri floods, Borno State
Maiduguri and Jere, Borno State, Nigeria. Reported onset 10 September 2024.
TL;DR
Flooding in Maiduguri after a dam failure inundated large parts of a city that was already hosting people displaced by conflict in northeast Nigeria, producing a rare case of climate displacement stacked directly on top of conflict displacement in the same urban area.
What happened
- A dam failure upstream of Maiduguri sent water through large parts of the Borno State capital and neighbouring Jere.
- The flooded areas included neighbourhoods and sites already hosting families displaced by the conflict in northeast Nigeria.
- Emergency shelters were opened in schools and public buildings, and many of those sites were later closed as water receded.
Why it matters for the data
- This is one of the clearest documented cases of a climate shock displacing people who were already displaced by conflict, in the same city.
- Recovery timelines for flood displacement are much shorter than for conflict displacement, so monthly figures fall quickly and can mask lasting damage to housing and livelihoods.
- It illustrates why displacement monitoring separates cause of movement rather than counting people once.
What to watch next
- IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix emergency tracking rounds for Borno State.
- OCHA Nigeria flood response reporting and shelter site closures.
- Seasonal rainfall and dam condition reporting ahead of each wet season.
Where the figures come from
This page does not publish population figures for the event. Numbers for an active event change faster than any single page can responsibly restate them, and access restrictions mean estimates carry wide uncertainty. The organisations below publish the current figures and the methodology behind them.
Country context
For the wider picture, see the Nigeria displacement dashboard, which tracks conflict events, population movement and humanitarian needs on a rolling basis.