Anambra’s Fragile Soil Worsens as Erosion Sites Surge Beyond 1,000, Threatening Lives and Livelihoods

 

Red earth gives way under the feet of residents in Anambra State, where land is no longer merely eroding—it is vanishing. Once referred to as the agricultural heartland of southeastern Nigeria, Anambra now bears the harrowing title of “erosion capital of Africa,” and with over 1,000 active gully erosion sites recorded, the situation is quickly spiraling into a full-blown environmental catastrophe.

Alarming figures provided by state officials and environmental experts reflect a worsening crisis. Between April 2022 and mid-2025, the number of active gully erosion sites has ballooned past the 1,000 mark. The governor of the state, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, had earlier raised the alarm at a roundtable session with the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) taskforce in Awka. At the time, about 950 erosion sites were recorded, a number that has since risen despite efforts from both the state and federal government.

Though Soludo did not personally attend the meeting, his message was delivered through Deputy Governor Onyekachukwu Ibezim, who stressed the urgency of collaborative intervention. Participants from 22 other Nigerian states also gathered to assess the impact of NEWMAP’s Additional Financing Implementation Completion and Result Report Mission (ICRM). The tone of the meeting was somber, dominated by images of collapsed homes, severed roads, and communities on the brink of displacement.

Environmental Commissioner Felix Odimegwu, speaking during the state’s 2023 World Earth Day event, revealed that fresh erosion sites are emerging at an alarming pace. He expressed dismay that despite ongoing efforts, new scars on the land continue to open, threatening critical infrastructure and displacing thousands.

Amanuke General Hospital in Awka North LGA is one of the latest victims of this aggressive natural force. A deepening gully now inches dangerously close to the hospital’s perimeter fence and an adjacent family residence, both of which teeter on the edge of collapse. According to local witnesses, the slightest rainfall could accelerate disaster.

Other parts of the state paint equally dire pictures. Communities in Nnewi South and Nnewi North LGAs are embroiled in a daily fight against soil degradation. In Agulu, Nanka, and Oko—long identified as the epicenters of Anambra’s erosion crisis—residents live under constant fear. Their homes rest on unstable ground, and each day could bring the rumble of another landslide.

The Federal Polytechnic, Oko, is already feeling the effects. One section of the institution’s perimeter wall has crumbled, while nearby buildings remain under imminent threat of being swallowed by an expanding gully.

Crucial statistics shared at the NEWMAP workshop further underline the urgency. More than 70 percent of Anambra’s total landmass is at risk of gully erosion, and less than three percent of the affected areas are reportedly under effective control. With such figures, it is no exaggeration to describe the situation as an existential threat to the state.

Despite these dangers, human activity continues to undermine government intervention efforts. Reckless excavation of soil, haphazard dumping of waste, and the deliberate obstruction of natural water channels persist across many communities. These actions worsen existing gullies and seed new ones, creating a cycle of destruction that even the most aggressive interventions struggle to keep up with.

The state government, though overwhelmed, is not sitting idle. Resources—scarce as they may be—have been funneled into erosion control projects across high-risk areas. Yet, the scale of destruction far outpaces funding, and the need for federal support and international aid is more urgent than ever.

There is also a growing call for behavioral change. Experts, activists, and policymakers agree that legislation alone will not suffice. Religious leaders, traditional rulers, and influential community figures must champion environmental preservation as a collective moral duty. Public education on sustainable land practices, combined with strict enforcement of environmental laws, could significantly slow the crisis.

As the earth beneath Anambra continues to cave, the responsibility of healing it rests not only with government actors and foreign donors, but with every individual whose daily choices shape the land they live on. The time for passive concern has passed; a united front is needed to prevent further calamity and reclaim what remains of the state's rapidly deteriorating landscape.