Short answer. Nigeria publishes no official number of days of emergency supplies and no quantity of water per person. NEMA, NIHSA and NiMet focus their household advice on floods: know whether your area is flood-prone, keep documents and valuables above expected water levels, agree a family meeting point, and move to higher ground early 12.
Does Nigeria recommend a number of days of supplies?
No. Phaenyx found no figure for days of food, days of water or litres per person on the websites of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) or the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), nor in NEMA's National Disaster Risk Management Policy (2018) 4. That policy plans relief at national level instead: food reserves, emergency stockpiles and temporary relief camps run by NEMA, State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) and local authorities 4.
Without an official Nigerian figure, the international rule of thumb in our guide on water per person and the 72-hour kit is a starting point; it is not Nigerian guidance.
What do Nigerian agencies ask households to do before a flood?
NIHSA's flood page gives these steps 1:
| When | Official step |
|---|---|
| Before | Know if your area is flood-prone using the outlook |
| Before | Keep documents and valuables above expected water levels |
| Before | Agree a family meeting point and how you'll get updates |
| Before | Clear drains and channels where it is safe |
| During | Move to higher ground early; don't wait |
| During | Never walk or drive through flood water |
| During | Switch off electricity if safe to do so |
| After | Return only when authorities say it's safe; avoid flood water, it may be contaminated |
NEMA adds: heed early warning information, relocate to safer, higher ground whenever there is a threat of flooding, and promptly report emergencies to the authorities 2. During flash-flood advisories it also asks residents to monitor official forecasts, clear drainage channels and avoid dumping refuse 3.
What should I prepare first?
Because the official advice is about leaving early, a small bag you can carry matters more than a large store at home. Start with your important documents in a waterproof bag kept high up, your medicines, and a way to get updates without mains power (an emergency radio). These are Phaenyx suggestions, not Nigerian requirements. Our flood preparedness guide and water after a flood cover the rest.
Frequently asked questions
How much water should a Nigerian household store?
Nigeria publishes no official quantity 14. See /guides/water-per-person for the figures used by other governments.
Is there an official Nigerian emergency kit?
No national list exists; see the kit page.
What is the single most important official step?
NEMA says preparedness and early evacuation remain the most effective ways of preventing avoidable loss of lives in floods 2.
Preparedness index: Nigeria ranks 65th of 67, 19/100 · full ranking
Sources · 4
- Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) · Flood & drought information checked 2026-11-13
- National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) · DG NEMA urges residents in flood-prone communities to heed warning alerts, relocate to safe locations (18 July 2026) checked 2026-11-13
- National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) · NEMA Urges Preparedness as NiMet Warns of Flash Flood Risk in 26 States, FCT (13 July 2026) checked 2026-11-13
- National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) · National Disaster Risk Management Policy 2018 checked 2026-11-13