CALABAR, Nigeria — Cross River State is seeking 25 million in international support to recover from deadly floods and landslides that have killed residents, destroyed homes and forced families from their communities during an unusually difficult rainy season.
The state presented its appeal at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where officials are seeking support from international development partners, financial institutions and environmental organizations.
The proposal, known as the Cross River Restore Hope Initiative, is designed to address immediate humanitarian needs while tackling some of the deeper problems that have left communities vulnerable to flooding, erosion and landslides.
Heavy rainfall between July and August triggered flooding and landslides across Calabar and surrounding communities. One of the deadliest incidents occurred at Ikot Anwatim in Calabar Municipality, where five people were killed, including four children from the same family.
Two houses were destroyed and other residents were injured.
Another landslide at Boro Pit and Satellite Town killed a child and damaged residential property, while flooding in Ekorinim 2 affected homes and displaced more than 15 households. A baby was also reported swept away by floodwaters at Elijah Henshaw Street.
For families who lost loved ones, the disaster has turned what would normally be another rainy season into a period of grief and uncertainty.
The destruction has also exposed a problem residents of Calabar have complained about for years. Heavy rainfall can quickly overwhelm drainage systems, sending water into homes, businesses and roads. Blocked drains, uncontrolled development and erosion have made some communities even more vulnerable.
Governor Bassey Otu had warned before the latest disasters that flooding was becoming more than a seasonal problem.
“What we are witnessing is no longer just seasonal flooding,” Otu said in May, describing the situation as an ecological problem with serious consequences for vulnerable communities.
Cross River had already been identified as one of Nigeria’s states facing a high risk of severe flooding in 2026. Vulnerable areas included Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Akamkpa, Odukpani, Ikom, Abi, Etung, Obubra and Obanliku.
The state now wants international assistance to move beyond emergency relief and address some of the conditions that allow the destruction to happen repeatedly.
Under the proposed 36 month plan, 3 million would be directed toward humanitarian protection, temporary shelter, water and sanitation and helping households recover.
Another 6 million is proposed for stabilizing dangerous slopes, improving drainage and controlling erosion. About 4 million would support risk mapping, technical studies and early warning systems.
The state also proposes spending 6 million on restoring forests, wetlands, watersheds and other natural areas that can help control water and protect vulnerable land.
Another 4 million would support stronger community infrastructure and the recovery of livelihoods, while 2 million would cover program management, monitoring and contingency needs.
Officials have stressed that the 25 million figure is a planning and advocacy target rather than a final engineering estimate. Detailed assessments would still be required to establish the full cost of repairing damaged infrastructure and reducing future risks.
The state’s message to potential international partners is that repeatedly cleaning up after disasters will not solve the problem.
“Cross River is not asking partners to fund repeated emergency clean up,” the state said in its appeal. It called instead for a transition toward protecting people, repairing damaged systems, restoring land and reducing communities’ exposure to future disasters.
The environmental stakes extend beyond Calabar.
Cross River contains some of Nigeria’s most important remaining tropical forests, along with mangroves, wetlands, freshwater swamp forests and mountain ecosystems. These natural areas support communities and wildlife while also helping regulate water and protect the landscape.
But years of deforestation, land degradation and urban expansion have increased pressure on that environment. The state estimates that about 134,000 hectares of tree cover were lost between 2001 and 2023.
Officials are careful not to blame every flood or landslide directly on climate change. Heavy rainfall may trigger a disaster, but soil conditions, construction, blocked drainage, deforestation and development on vulnerable land can all influence how severe the damage becomes.
That combination of environmental and human factors has made long term planning increasingly important.
Federal authorities have also begun assessing the damage. The South South Development Commission recently joined state emergency officials, the National Emergency Management Agency and the Nigerian Red Cross Society in visiting affected communities and temporary shelters in Calabar.
Joseph Bassey, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Disaster Management and Preparedness, has called for national and international support, arguing that Cross River cannot handle the scale of the problem alone.
“The resources required to address this disaster are enormous,” Bassey said. “It requires strong support from the Federal Government, development partners and international organisations if we must provide lasting solutions.”
For residents who have lost homes, belongings or loved ones, however, the immediate concerns are much closer to home.
They want damaged drainage channels repaired, dangerous slopes stabilized and families living in high risk areas moved to safer locations before another period of heavy rainfall brings more destruction.
Cross River’s international appeal is therefore about more than rebuilding what has already been lost. State officials hope the funding can help prevent communities from experiencing the same devastation year after year.
