Strategies for Mitigation of Flood Risk in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

The study has the major objective of evaluating flood risk mitigation strategies in the Niger Delta, a coastal region of Nigeria that suffers from perennial flooding. The Raper argues that the structural methods of flood control tends to give a false sense of security to flood plain dwellers and thereby encouraging investments in flood prone areas. The non-structural methods on the other hand are basically behavioural adjustments to flood control. The study observes that for flood risk mitigation strategies to be effective in the Niger Delta, there is need for establishment of coastal management zone authority, land-use zoning, legislation, building codes, flood forecasting and warning systems, flood insurance and engineering control of the major river systems.