Recurring floods across Lagos have once again raised concerns over the city’s ability to cope with heavy rainfall, with experts blaming a combination of rapid urbanisation, poor planning, disappearing wetlands and inadequate flood-control infrastructure for the persistent problem.

Recent downpours left several communities, including Kunsela Road in Ikate, Gbagada, Ologolo, Ajiran, Ikorodu Road and Shogunle in Oshodi, submerged, disrupting businesses, damaging property and forcing residents to wade through floodwaters.

For many Lagosians, seasonal flooding has become a familiar reality. However, the latest incidents have reignited debate over why the commercial capital continues to experience severe flooding despite ongoing drainage projects and government interventions.

Urban planning expert, Tpl. Niyi Aderohunmu, said decades of replacing wetlands and mangrove forests with residential and commercial developments have significantly reduced Lagos’ natural ability to absorb rainwater.

According to him, wetlands once acted as natural reservoirs that stored excess rainfall and released it gradually, but large-scale development has replaced these areas with concrete surfaces that generate faster runoff.

He explained that the destruction of natural drainage channels, especially along the Lekki corridor, has made many low-lying communities increasingly vulnerable whenever heavy rainfall coincides with high tides.

Geographer Abeeb Babajide Ajagbe also described wetlands and mangroves as the city’s “natural flood infrastructure,” warning that continuous development in environmentally sensitive areas has worsened flooding.

He argued that the problem extends beyond environmental degradation, pointing to planning failures, weak enforcement and approvals granted for developments in flood-prone locations.

Environmental resource management expert Gbenga Oloniniran shared similar concerns, saying unregulated urban expansion has removed natural barriers that previously reduced the impact of flooding.

According to him, low-lying communities now experience faster surface runoff because many natural flood buffers have disappeared.

Independent researcher Tonami Playman, however, believes Lagos’ flooding cannot be blamed solely on climate change or environmental loss.

He argued that the city’s greatest challenge is the absence of large-scale flood-control infrastructure capable of storing excess stormwater during periods of intense rainfall.

Playman noted that while drainage systems are important, cities such as Tokyo, Chicago and Kuala Lumpur have significantly reduced flood risks through massive investments in underground reservoirs, storage tunnels and flood-control facilities.

He maintained that Lagos requires similar long-term infrastructure rather than relying almost entirely on drainage expansion.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government attributed the recurring flooding to a combination of coastal geography, climate change, rapid urbanisation and the destruction of wetlands.

Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, explained that nearly one-third of Lagos consists of lagoons, rivers, streams and swamps, making flooding difficult to eliminate completely.

He said the city naturally drains stormwater into these water bodies, but rapid development over the years has reduced the capacity of wetlands to absorb excess rainfall.

The commissioner also blamed illegal land reclamation in areas such as Ajiran, Agungi, Ikota and the Chevron corridor for obstructing natural drainage channels and worsening floods in surrounding communities.

According to Wahab, another challenge is “tidal locking,” a situation where heavy rainfall coincides with high sea levels, preventing floodwater from flowing into the Atlantic Ocean and lagoons until the tides recede.

He said the state government has intensified desilting of drainage channels, expanded flood-control infrastructure and issued flood advisories ahead of the peak rainy season to reduce the impact of flooding.

Experts, however, insist that drainage projects alone will not solve the problem.

They recommended stricter enforcement of building regulations, restoration and protection of wetlands, investment in modern flood-control infrastructure, adoption of nature-based solutions such as permeable pavements and green spaces, as well as stronger urban planning policies.

The Lagos State Government recently began demolishing structures obstructing drainage channels in Agungi, Ajiran and Ikota as part of efforts to restore waterways and reduce flooding.

The government has also unveiled plans to develop a blue-green drainage network involving canals, estate lakes and pumping stations aimed at improving flood management across the state.

Despite these measures, experts believe Lagos will continue to experience recurring floods unless long-term investments are made to strengthen both natural and engineered flood-control systems.

The post Why Lagos Keeps Flooding: Experts Explain Causes and Solutions appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

The Lagos State Government has demolished 17 illegal buildings in Oral Estate II, Lekki, as part of efforts to restore the Right of Way along the Ikota River and mitigate growing flood risks.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, who led the inspection, condemned the encroachments, warning that private developers were narrowing river channels to create and sell plots, endangering surrounding communities.

“Flooding in Lagos can’t be eliminated but must be managed through responsible land use. Destroying wetlands and blocking drainage channels makes that impossible,” Wahab said.

Stop-work and seal orders were also issued at Partibons Homes Estate and Bee-Forth Estate Phase 2, where illegal reclamation activities were ongoing. Wahab noted that natural drainage systems like Channels 156 and 157, designed to direct stormwater to the Lagoon, have been compromised by unapproved developments.

The tour was conducted in coordination with the Ministry of Transportation, ahead of the Green Rail Line project. Transportation Commissioner Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi noted that auto dealers encroaching on wetlands and powerline corridors along the Lekki-Epe Expressway had been served notices, stressing the importance of preserving infrastructure corridors.

Officials also visited the Agodogba Collector Drain project at Parkview Estate, which is expected to provide major flood relief once completed.

The state government has pledged continued enforcement to restore wetlands and protect Lagos’ long-term environmental and infrastructure plans.

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The Lagos State Government has cautioned property buyers to verify land documents before making purchases, following the demolition of 17 illegal buildings along the Lekki–Epe corridor.

Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this during a joint inspection with the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, and other top officials on Saturday.

Wahab said the enforcement drive aimed to protect wetlands, restore natural drainage, and secure the right of way for the forthcoming Green Line Rail Project.

“Our findings revealed that several automobile dealers, who were previously granted temporary approval to operate on designated sites, have brazenly exceeded their allocated boundaries. Not only have they encroached upon wetlands, but some have also erected permanent structures directly under power lines. This is a clear violation of their permits and a direct assault on our master plan,” Wahab said in a post on X.

He warned that the destruction of wetlands would worsen flooding, stressing that “Wetlands are not wastelands. They are nature’s sponge, designed to hold excess water during heavy rains.”

The commissioner added that the state, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation, had begun clearing illegal developments and relocating affected car dealers to approved areas.

“The Green Line is a legacy project that will commence soon, and we will not allow the selfish interests of a few to compromise the mobility and environmental safety of millions of Lagosians,” he said.

Wahab also ordered the sealing of illegal reclamation works at the Ikota River, where developers allegedly narrowed the river channel for real estate construction.

“It is heart-wrenching that individuals would deliberately destroy a critical river ecosystem for illicit real estate ventures,” he said. “Members of the public are hereby advised to always do their due diligence and ensure all documents are verified before buying properties.”

He confirmed that 17 contravening structures at the Ikota River in Oral Estate Extension had been removed and vowed continued enforcement until the river’s right of way is restored.

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The Lagos State Government has suspended all land reclamation projects across the state, warning that defaulters have seven days to comply or face strict sanctions.

Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the ministry is worried about “the proliferation of reclamation activities on wetlands, floodplains, and lagoons statewide, especially in Parkview, Banana Island, Osborne, Ikoyi, Victoria Island Extension, Lekki, Ajah, Oworonshoki, and parts of Ikorodu.”

He noted that “many projects lacked proper Environmental Impact Assessment approvals and drainage clearance from the ministry,” adding that reclamation, though useful for housing and infrastructure, “carried risks of flooding, erosion, and ecosystem disruption.”

“Lagos’s low-lying topography and fragile ecosystem cannot withstand indiscriminate reclamation activities without grave consequences,” Wahab said.

“Consequently, the ministry is by this notice directing all reclamation projects across the state, with or without EIA approval and drainage clearance, to be suspended immediately.

“All approved Reclamation Projects across the State must be submitted for proper documentation and monitoring, while all ongoing and intending ones must be subjected to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process with issuance of approval letter and drainage clearance from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.”

He warned that “non-compliance within seven days would attract strict sanctions, including site decommissioning and arrest of violators.”

The commissioner added that the ministry would “remove illegal fills, reopen blocked water channels, and prosecute anyone involved in violations. Enough is enough.”

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