Lagos Sets 95% Flood Control Target for 2027 Rains

​LAGOS — In a major push to safeguard its low-lying terrain from recurring inundations, the Lagos State Government has announced an ambitious target to achieve between 90 and 95 per cent success in flood control ahead of the 2027 rainy season.

​The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this disclosure during a comprehensive oversight inspection of critical drainage projects and disputed sites across Oregun, Surulere, and the Osborne Foreshore Estate in Ikoyi.

​According to Wahab, the state has steadily maintained a 75 to 80 per cent success rate in managing floodwaters over recent years. However, the administration is ramping up efforts to elevate this performance through aggressive infrastructure deployment and year-round maintenance strategies.

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​Bridging Infrastructure with Year-Round Maintenance

​Detailing the strategy behind the target, Wahab emphasized the state’s deliberate approach under the current leadership.

• ​Resilient Infrastructure: Continuous construction and reinforcement of primary, secondary, and tertiary drainage channels across vulnerable corridors.
• ​Emergency Flood Abatement Gang (EFAG): Year-round deployment of specialised clearing crews to maintain free-flowing stormwater networks and clear bottlenecks before they escalate.
• ​Policy Enforcement: Strict implementation of environmental laws, including the existing ban on Styrofoam and ongoing efforts to phase out single-use plastics, aimed at preventing non-biodegradable waste from choking drainage routes.

​Addressing the Realities of a Coastal Geography

​Addressing public discourse surrounding flood management, Wahab noted that total eradication of flooding is scientifically unachievable given Lagos’s unique coastal geography. He cautioned against playing “the ostrich” regarding the state’s topography, pointing out that several parts sit below sea level.

​”This state is a coastal state. People can politicise it and say what they want, but it is scientifically proven that a coastal state with some areas below sea level will experience tidal locks when there is heavy rainfall, excessive heat, and sea level rise,” Wahab explained.

​He advised residents to exercise patience during heavy downpours, explaining that flash floods typically recede within an hour or two as the upgraded drainage infrastructure drains excess water into the lagoon and ocean. Furthermore, he urged the public to stay hydrated amidst unusual heat patterns linked to global climate change and the El Niño phenomenon.

​On-Site Inspections and Encroachment Crackdowns

​During the weekend tour, the commissioner and his team investigated petitions and land disputes to protect designated drainage rights-of-way from illegal occupation:

• ​Oregun Mixed-Use Scheme: Responding to complaints from property owners regarding auto mechanics encroaching on a vital natural drainage artery known as System One, the ministry reassured landowners of the security of their Certificates of Occupancy while ordering unauthorized occupants to vacate immediately.
• ​Surulere: Officials investigated allegations that a construction project by the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) had blocked a drainage route. Physical measurements taken in the presence of community stakeholders confirmed that the development complied fully with approved setbacks and did not violate drainage alignments.
• ​Osborne Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi: Following controversy surrounding a project at Abba Court on Mahogany Close involving Kenshad International Limited—where residents alleged restricted water outlets and construction beneath high-tension lines—inspectors confirmed for the third consecutive time that no physical encroachment had occurred on government drainage alignments. The ministry instructed that safety culverts remain untouched and assured residents that local high-tension infrastructure is uncompromised.

​The Lagos State Government maintains that protecting natural drainage channels and enforcing urban planning regulations remain non-negotiable pillars for achieving a sustainable, flood-resilient economic hub.