NiMet Predicts High Rainfall and Up to 290 Rainy Days in Nigeria

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has released its 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction, revealing that several states across the country will experience a high number of rainy days and varying amounts of rainfall.

According to the report, the 2025 rainy season in Nigeria will bring between 250 and 290 days of rainfall to states like Lagos, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom the highest number of rainy days expected in the country.

The next group of states predicted to have between 200 and 250 rainy days includes Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Osun, Ebonyi, Anambra, and Enugu.

In the central part of Nigeria, including Niger, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kwara, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), rainfall is expected to occur between 150 and 200 days throughout the year.

Northern states like Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno will experience the least rainfall days about 110 to 150 days in 2025.

NiMet’s forecast shows that the total amount of rainfall will range from 405 mm in the far north to as much as 3,010 mm in coastal areas.

Specifically, Borno, Yobe, Sokoto, and Katsina are expected to record less than 685 mm of rainfall.
Central states such as parts of Niger, Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, and the FCT are likely to see between 970 mm and 1,500 mm of rainfall.

In the coastal regions like Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom, rainfall could reach between 2,700 mm and 3,010 mm.

Overall, rainfall across most parts of Nigeria in 2025 is projected to be normal or below the long-term average, although some areas might receive higher-than-normal rainfall.

NiMet noted that Kaduna, Ebonyi, Cross River, Lagos, Abia, Akwa Ibom, and parts of the FCT may see above-average rainfall totals, making them areas to watch closely for possible flooding or water-related concerns.

The onset of the rainy season will vary by region In the south, states like Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, Cross River, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia, and Anambra are expected to start experiencing rain between March and April.

In the central belt, states like Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba, and the FCT will see rain begin between April and May.

In the north, the rains will likely start from early June to July, including states like Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Yobe, and Borno.

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There may also be delayed rainfall in states like Plateau, Kaduna, Niger, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Adamawa, and Kwara, while an early onset is expected in Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Anambra, and parts of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Lagos, Edo, Enugu, Imo, and Ebonyi.

NiMet also warned about possible dry spells after the rains begin:

Oyo State, including areas like Saki, Iseyin, Ogbomosho, Atisbo, Orelope, Itesiwaju, Olorunsogo, Kajola, Iwajowa, and Ori Ire, may experience severe dry spells lasting over 15 days.

Moderate dry spells of up to 15 days are likely in Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Cross River, Delta, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom.

In the northern parts, dry spells lasting up to 21 days may occur during the peak rainy months from June to August.

The end of the 2025 rainy season in Nigeria is predicted to take place between October 6 and December 17, Northern states like Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina will likely see the earliest end of rainfall around October 6.

Other northern states, including Kano, Jigawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Borno, Kebbi, Kaduna, Niger, Gombe, and Adamawa, will experience cessation of rain between October 14 and October 30.

In the central states like Plateau, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kogi, Benue, and the FCT, the rains will likely end between November 7 and November 23.

Southern and coastal states such as Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Edo, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Ondo, Ogun, and Lagos will see the rainy season end from November 23 to December 17.

NiMet also added that some regions may experience earlier or later than normal cessation of rainfall. For instance, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Plateau, and parts of the FCT might end their rainy season earlier than usual, while Kaduna, Nasarawa, Lagos, Kwara, Cross River, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Anambra, and Enugu may experience a delayed end.

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