“NEC Approves ₦83.21bn Flood Preparedness Fund” — Shettima Urges States To Remove Export Bottlenecks

*As Council Reviews Regional Development Policy And Agro-Export Plans

The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the release of N83.21 billion for flood preparedness and climate-related disaster mitigation across Nigeria, as the federal government intensified efforts to move from emergency response to preventive action in managing recurring environmental crises.

The approval was granted at the 158th meeting of the Council chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.

The council also considered a proposed National Regional Development Policy (NRDP) 2026–2030 aimed at addressing development disparities across the country and strengthening the operations of regional development commissions.

Addressing the meeting, Vice President Shettima challenged state governments to work closely with the federal government in removing logistical and compliance obstacles that continue to prevent Nigerian agricultural products from accessing international markets.

He stressed that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was at a stage where reforms must translate into measurable improvements in the lives of citizens.

“When this Council last met, I called our economy a workshop. A place of measurement and correction. A place where plans are turned into systems, and systems into institutions, before any of it becomes prosperity.

“A workshop is judged by one thing. Not by the plans pinned to its walls, but by what comes off the bench. We return to that bench today. Not to admire the image, but to ask the question that honours it. Is the work taking shape?” the Vice President said.

According to him, the council’s interventions must ultimately be measured by their impact on ordinary Nigerians, particularly farmers, manufacturers, vulnerable citizens, unemployed youths and future generations.

“The assignment has not changed. We remain a federation moving from stabilisation to production, from aspiration to implementation, from isolated interventions to coordinated national growth. What has changed, I hope, is our proximity to delivery.

“A federation does not earn its prosperity by leaving its most vulnerable behind and hoping they catch up. The dignity of the citizen with the least is the floor beneath which we have resolved that no Nigerian shall fall”, he added.

Shettima described the social protection agenda before the council as an opportunity to institutionalise support systems capable of protecting vulnerable citizens while strengthening human capital development.

On economic diversification and exports, the Vice President said Nigeria could no longer afford to remain an exporter of raw materials while importing finished products.

“We cannot continue to export raw materials and import finished prosperity”, he declared.

He explained that sustainable economic transformation would depend on creating an integrated value chain linking agricultural production to manufacturing, quality standards, logistics infrastructure and international markets.

The Vice President assured that government would address bottlenecks affecting agricultural exports, particularly challenges associated with port operations and compliance with international standards.

“A nation that cannot move its goods has imprisoned its own farmers. Meeting international standards is not submission to foreign demand. It is the price of the markets that will reward our labour”, he said.

The approval of the flood intervention fund followed a presentation by the Minister for Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, who briefed the Council on measures required to proactively address flooding and related disasters during the rainy season.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State disclosed that NEC approved N83.21 billion, representing 50 per cent of the N166.42 billion requested by the Anticipatory Action Task Force (AATF), established to coordinate early responses to flooding and climate-related emergencies.

Otu described the intervention as a major departure from Nigeria’s traditional disaster management approach, which has largely focused on post-disaster relief.

“I want you to know that this is the first time, as a nation, that we are taking proactive steps. Most times, we wait until floods have caused significant damage before taking action. This time, under the leadership of the Chairman of the Council, the Vice President, we are taking proactive measures to mitigate the potential impact of flooding, which has become a recurring challenge”, he said.

The governor noted that council members agreed that government must move away from reacting to disasters after they occur.

“Council underscored the importance of the Anticipatory Action Task Force in addressing disasters and climate-related emergencies across the country. Members agreed that NEC must not always be seen reacting to disasters after they occur but should take steps to prevent or mitigate their impact”, he said.

Explaining the decision to approve only half of the requested amount, Otu said the Council sought to strike a balance between available resources and the need for immediate intervention.

“We felt it was important to begin putting measures in place. As we evaluate and assess the situation going forward, the council will certainly make additional provisions where necessary.