When Networks Fail: The Paradox of ICT-Dependence and Infrastructure Fragility in Flood Disaster Response Along Nigeria's River Benue

Abstract

This study grapples with a troubling paradox observed in flood disaster management along the River Benue: as communities and agencies grow increasingly dependent on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for emergency response, the very infrastruct ure supporting this technology proves most fragile when it is needed most. Through an explanatory sequential mixed-methods investigation, I explored the relationship between ICT adoption and the effectiveness of flood disaster response in six chronically affected Local Government Areas. Quantitative survey data from 378 households, analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, revealed a significant positive relationship (β = 0.328, p < 0.001). However, this statistical finding only tells part of the story. In-depth interviews with disaster responders, community leaders, and telecommunications engineers uncovered a more complex reality. During the 2022 floods, I witnessed firsthand how mobile networks , the backbone of modern emergency communication, collapsed under the dual pressures of infrastructure damage and network congestion, precisely when communities desperately tried to call for help. This research identifies what I term an ICT-Dependent, yet Infrastructure -Constrained Response Ecosystem. Wi thin this fragile system, responders and community members engage in adaptive communication bricolage an improvisational practice where they seamlessly switch between mobile networks, analogue VHF radios, physical messengers on motorcycles, and even social media platforms via sporadic Wi-Fi hotspots. The study argues that the current approach of layering advanced ICT applications onto chronically unstable infrastructure creates a dangerous vulnerability. My findings suggest that resilience lies not in pursuing ever-more-sophisticated technology, but in strategically building redundancy and fostering adaptive intelligence within response networks. The article concludes with practical recommendations for creating hybrid communication protocols that acknowledge both the necessity of ICT and the inevitability of its failure during catastrophic floods.