Lagos flooding: C21st demands urgent action, not temporary responses – EnviroNews

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The Centre for 21st Century Issues (C21st) has expressed concern over the devastating floods that continue to impact communities across Lagos State following the heavy rainfall of Sunday, June 29, 2026. Beyond flooded roads and submerged vehicles, the disaster has disrupted livelihoods, displaced residents, damaged homes and businesses, interrupted economic activities, and left thousands of commuters stranded.

Communities including Oworonshoki, Gbagada, Chevron, Egbeda, Ikola, Shomolu, Oshodi, Surulere,, Ikorodu, and several others experienced severe flooding as hours of relentless rainfall overwhelmed drainage systems. In Oworonshoki and other flood-prone communities, residents were once again forced to wade through floodwaters, while major roads became impassable, vehicles were abandoned, and some people resorted to boats and makeshift canoes to move through submerged neighbourhoods.

These recurring scenes, according to C21st, are unacceptable in Africa’s largest city and commercial hub.

The group added: “While the immediate trigger was intense rainfall, the scale and frequency of these floods expose deeper structural challenges. Poor urban planning, blocked and inadequate drainage systems, the loss of wetlands, indiscriminate waste disposal, rapid urban expansion, and insufficient investment in climate adaptation have combined to increase the vulnerability of Lagos residents.

“For many families, particularly women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities, informal workers, and low-income households, flooding means far more than temporary inconvenience. It results in lost incomes, damaged property, displacement, disruption of education, heightened risks of waterborne diseases, and growing economic insecurity. These impacts underscore the urgent need to place climate justice and social equity at the centre of development planning.”

C21st disclosed in a statement that, as climate change continues to intensify extreme weather events, Lagos, one of Africa’s fastest-growing coastal megacities, faces increasing risks from rising sea levels, heavier rainfall, and rapid urbanisation. These realities demand a shift from reactive emergency responses to proactive, long-term climate resilience and risk reduction.

Call to Action

The Centre for 21st Century Issues calls on:

1. The Lagos State Government to urgently strengthen drainage infrastructure, protect and restore wetlands, enforce environmental and building regulations, improve flood-risk mapping, and integrate climate resilience into urban planning and infrastructure development.
2. The Federal Government to increase investments in climate adaptation, strengthen disaster preparedness, expand access to climate finance, and support states in implementing long-term resilience strategies.
3. Emergency management agencies to scale up early warning systems, emergency response, relief support, and protection for vulnerable communities affected by flooding.
4. Residents and community leaders to support environmental sanitation efforts, avoid indiscriminate waste disposal, keep drainage channels free from obstruction, and comply with flood advisories issued by relevant authorities.
5. Development partners, civil society organisations, research institutions, and the private sector to work collaboratively in advancing nature-based solutions, community resilience, sustainable urban development, and climate justice.

Centre for 21st Century Issues’ Position

The annual recurrence of devastating floods in Lagos should not become normalised, declared the group, adding that every preventable loss of life, home, livelihood, and public infrastructure is a reminder that climate adaptation can no longer be treated as an afterthought.

It added that the flooding witnessed across Oworonshoki, Gbagada, Ikorodu, Surulere, and many other communities is a clear signal that Lagos must move beyond temporary interventions toward bold, inclusive, and sustainable solutions. Building a climate-resilient Lagos requires stronger governance, accountable institutions, healthy ecosystems, and meaningful citizen participation.

The Centre for 21st Century Issues (C21st) reaffirmedLagos its commitment to promoting climate justice and advocating for policies that protect vulnerable communities while building a resilient and sustainable future for Lagos and Nigeria.