Adeyinka Adeniji 
As the rainy season peaks with surging downpours and thunderous storms, Lagos State, Nigeria’s economic heartbeat and coastal megacity once again grapples with the grim specter of urban flooding.
On Monday, August 4, the city endured over 12 hours of uninterrupted rainfall, leading to submerged streets, stalled vehicles, disrupted businesses and overwhelmed residents in some parts.
But while many Lagosians faced momentary chaos, state officials insist the city’s response was not caught off guard.
Rather, it is part of an evolving, long-term strategy to manage climate-induced rainfall and mitigate the dangers of flash flooding.
Govt’s efforts When contacted for the latest update on the government’s effort in preparation for the rains as predicted, the Director of Public Affairs at the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, said floods remain natural to the city due to its coastal nature.
Adeshina, however, said efforts are in place to mitigate its impacts. He however said Monday’s was inevitable as man has no control over the volume of water discharged in a rainfall.
“Recall that we had this conversation last April about measures in place. The truth is that Lagos, as a coastal city, is bound to experience some dislocation anytime we have high-intensity rainfall. Yesterday was more than 12 hours.
Our drains and collectors cannot contain such a high volume of runoffs in one single swoop.” Adeshina noted that many flooded areas had already begun to recede by Tuesday morning, following a drop in lagoon levels which allowed water from the city’s drains to discharge freely.
“A major drainage construction is ongoing in Ijede, Ikorodu, where flash flooding occurred. Palliative measures are being undertaken by the contractor this morning to ensure water flow is restored,” he added.
Peculiar topography Also, in a statement released Monday evening, the state government urged residents not to panic assuring them that resilient infrastructure is in place to handle such episodes of flash flooding.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, explained that the peculiar topography of Lagos, coupled with rising lagoon levels, often results in tidal locks, which temporarily prevent free drainage of rainwater.
“Lagos being a coastal city is susceptible to the vagaries of flash flooding. Whenever there is highintensity rainfall and the lagoon level rises, water from collectors cannot discharge.
This is a natural phenomenon,” Wahab said. He further warned that more rainfall should be expected, citing a new weather advisory from NiMET forecasting thunderstorms and heavy rains over the next three days.
The commissioner advised residents, particularly parents and guardians, to keep children indoors during rainfall and warned against unsafe practices such as wading through floodwaters or dumping refuse into drains.
He noted that all concerted efforts are required to checkmate the effects of such heavy downpours.
“While we intensify year-round drainage cleaning and concrete lining of new channels, residents must also refrain from blocking drains with waste,” the statement closed.
Lagos’ location is both its greatest advantage and biggest threat. Positioned on the Atlantic coastline and interspersed by creeks and lagoons, the city thrives as a hub for global commerce.
But this very geography, with over one-third of the city at or below sea level makes it extremely vulnerable to flooding.
Add to this is a population now estimated at over 25 million, rapid urban expansion, informal settlements, and inadequate waste disposal habits, and the drainage system is frequently overwhelmed during prolonged rainfall.
Recognizing this, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration has embedded flood mitigation into its broader THEMES+ development agenda.
“We have adopted a holistic approach that includes construction, maintenance, regulation, and citizen engagement,” said Wahab at a recent stakeholder forum.
Pre-season desilting As early as February 2025, Lagos began preparing for the rainy season through a strategy dubbed Operation Flush, a pre-season desilting and dredging campaign targeting major drainage channels across the state.
“Over 200 major drains were cleared between February and June. This preventive effort played a key role in avoiding the scale of flooding we experienced in 2023.”
In areas like Ikorodu, Ajegunle, and Mushin, new drainage infrastructure is also under construction to address long-standing flooding issues.
Viral footage of submerged homes in Ijede, Ikorodu, during Monday’s downpour highlighted the urgency of such interventions, but officials insist those projects are nearing completion.
To complement physical infrastructure, the state has also invested in Lagoon Monitoring and Tidal Backflow Prevention, installing flap gates in critical areas to prevent seawater from flowing back into the city’s drainage channels.
The commissioner has at different fora reiterated that the state’s flood alert system now incorporates real-time data from NiMET and local environmental sensors.
Alerts are broadcast via SMS, radio, and social media, advising at-risk residents to relocate or take precautions. Enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, enforcement agencies, including LAGESC, have stepped up action against illegal structures, indiscriminate waste dumping on drainage alignments and road medians.
The Ministry of Physical Planning has revised building codes to mandate higher elevation standards and enforce buffer zones around waterways.
At the community level, the Sanwo-Olu administration continues to drive behavior change through the ‘Clean Lagos’ campaign, which educates citizens on proper waste disposal and environmental safety.
