Nigeria has developed disaster risk reduction policies, but they failed to protect vulnerable groups during recent floods.

The 2022 and 2024 flood disasters exposed the gap between policy and practice, leaving women and children particularly at risk. The lived experience starkly contrasts with the government's stated progress under the Sendai Framework, highlighting a systemic failure in implementation.

Despite having policies, many people, especially women and children, were left unprotected during the floods, showing that words on paper do not translate to real-world safety measures.

The long-term vulnerability remains high as the country continues to face severe weather events without effective policy enforcement. The cycle of disaster and inadequate response is likely to repeat unless there's a significant shift in how policies are implemented.

Can local infrastructure withstand future compounding shocks?

Nigeria must urgently bridge the gap between policy and practice to protect its most vulnerable populations. Infrastructure improvements and better enforcement of existing disaster risk reduction measures are critical for future resilience.

The outlook is negative without significant changes in implementation.