Lagos floods test Nigeria’s climate preparedness

By Nympha Ozougwu

Floodwaters have recently submerged roads across several parts of Lagos, stranding commuters, disrupting businesses and worsening traffic across Nigeria’s commercial capital. The flooding came weeks after the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency and the Lagos State Government warned that the state faced heightened flood risks as the rainy season intensified.

The disruption extended to the international terminal at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, where floodwater reached the terminal’s powerhouse.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria temporarily suspended operations at the terminal and relocated affected international airlines while engineers restored power. The authority later said no flights were cancelled and operations resumed after the flooding subsided.

The incident unfolded within the period identified by Nigeria’s weather and hydrological agencies as one of heightened flood risk.

In its 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction, released in February, the meteorological agency forecast a longer than normal rainy season for Lagos and advised governments, emergency managers and other sectors to use climate information to strengthen preparedness and reduce weather-related risks.

The warning was reinforced by the hydrological agency’s 2026 Annual Flood Outlook, which listed Lagos among the states facing significant flood risk and projected that flood hazards would intensify between July and September. The outlook is published annually to guide preparedness before peak flooding begins.

Ahead of the rains, the Lagos State Government also warned residents in flood-prone communities, including Eti-Osa, Apapa, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Lekki, Lagos Island and Surulere, to prepare for heavy rainfall, flash floods and rising water levels.

During the state’s seasonal climate briefing, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the rainfall outlook pointed to an early onset of the rainy season, a longer than normal duration and a delayed end. He warned that flooding could disrupt commercial activities and cause flight delays.

Following the latest flooding, state officials attributed the incident to persistent rainfall, saturated soil, high lagoon levels and overwhelmed drainage channels.

They also said illegal construction on wetlands and natural waterways continues to increase the city’s flood vulnerability despite ongoing disaster risk reduction and enforcement efforts.

With July marking the start of Nigeria’s highest flood-risk period, the hydrological agency expects flood risks to intensify through September, making the Lagos floods one of the earliest high-profile tests of the country’s flood preparedness efforts this year.

OPA News Agency | One Planet Agency