When the first drops hit the rusty rooftops of Lagos’ many informal settlements, a quiet tension ripples through the alleys. Children race home, traders begin packing up their wares, and old men shift uneasily in their makeshift shelters.
Rain is no stranger to Lagos — Africa’s most populous city — but in the slums that stretch across its watery fringes, every downpour feels like a warning.
In some communities in Lagos, rain is not just a weather condition. It’s a looming disaster, a trigger for displacement, disease, and despair. Here, people do not merely live with the rain — they battle it.
This is a story of survival amid collapse, of a people literally and figuratively trying to stay afloat.
The Face of Lagos’s Slums: What Are We Talking About?
Lagos State, with a population estimated to exceed 25 million as of 2023, is Africa’s most populous city. A staggering 65–70% of its residents live in informal settlements or slums.
These slums are home to over 15 million people living in conditions often described as squalid, precarious, and underserved.
What Makes a Lagos Slum?
Before diving into the floods, it’s crucial to understand what defines these slums. They are informal settlements lacking official government recognition, built without adherence to urban planning or building codes.
Characteristics:
- No formal property rights; residents risk eviction.
- Homes built from substandard materials.
- Overcrowded living spaces.
- Inadequate sanitation and water access.
- Absence of paved roads and proper drainage.
- Situated in flood-prone lowlands or water-adjacent zones.
Flooding: The Ever-Present Threat
Lagos’s tropical climate delivers two rainy seasons, often heavy and prolonged. Coupled with poor urban planning, waste-clogged drainage, and rising sea levels, flooding hits slums hardest.
Here are some critical recent flood events impacting Lagos’s slums:
1. 2023 September Floods: Makoko, Badia, and Oworonsoki Underwater
In September 2023, intense rainfall combined with a high tide surge pushed floodwaters into Lagos’s most vulnerable slums.
In Makoko, over 3,000 homes were submerged as lagoon waters crept through narrow alleys. Residents reported waist-deep water invading their homes for over a week.
Badia slum saw thousands displaced as their shanties were washed away or rendered unlivable.
Floodwaters cut off access roads in Oworonsoki, isolating communities and blocking relief efforts.
This event was part of a worsening pattern, with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) reporting a 40% increase in flood-related emergencies in slum areas between 2020 and 2023.
2. 2022 Nigeria-Wide Flood Disaster — Lagos’s Slums Hit Hard
The 2022 flooding, partly due to the release of water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam, was catastrophic.
Makoko and Amukoko bore the brunt, with water levels reaching up to two meters in some homes.
An estimated 25,000 residents in Lagos slums were displaced, many relocating to crowded relief camps or shelters.
The Lagos State Government documented a 15% spike in cholera cases in slum communities following the floods.
3. 2018 Flooding Crisis in Ajegunle
Ajegunle, a dense mainland slum home to over 1 million people, faced severe flooding in 2018:
Torrential rains overwhelmed blocked drainage channels.
Floodwaters inundated hundreds of homes, schools, and markets.
Affected families lost vital belongings, and business activities ground to a halt.
Over 5,000 residents were temporarily displaced.
Local clinics saw an influx of waterborne diseases like typhoid and dysentery.
4. 2015 Annual Floods: Chronic Inundation in Amukoko and Badia
Both Amukoko and Badia are frequently underwater during Lagos’s rainy seasons due to poor drainage and low elevation.
In 2015, floods forced the closure of the Amukoko Primary Health Care Center for over two weeks.
Residents lost livestock and stored food.
Repeated flooding made reconstruction futile for many; some abandoned homes, leading to worsening overcrowding elsewhere.
5) May 2025 – Nigeria’s Worst Flooding in 60 Years
Fact: Nationwide flooding, with Lagos slums like Ajegunle, Agege, and Bariga severely hit.
UN Report: Over 150 deaths countrywide; Lagos among the worst-hit urban zones due to its lagoon-side geography.
6) 2021 – Mainland Floods in Surulere and Orile
Fact: Weeks of consistent rainfall flooded Surulere, Orile-Iganmu, and Aguda.
Response: Emergency services evacuated residents; homes built on floodplains hardest hit.
7) July 2024 – Mushin Building Collapse
Fact: A two-storey building in Mushin collapsed due to water damage caused by persistent rainfall and poor drainage.
Casualties: Several injuries, with residents displaced.
Underlying Cause: Blocked drainage in high-density low-income neighborhoods.
8) 2011 – Lagos Island & Ebute-Metta Flood Crisis
Fact: Historical 2011 flooding destroyed markets and homes in Ebute-Metta, Oyingbo, and Iddo.
Estimated Displaced: Over 10,000 residents, many from urban slum belts, forced to relocate.
Rain and Flooding: The Annual Nightmare
Lagos experiences two major rainy seasons each year: from April to July and September to November. During these periods, the city receives between 1,500mm and 2,000mm of rainfall annually, according to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET). While rain is essential, for slum dwellers, it often brings devastation.
How Rain Wreaks Havoc
1. Flooding
Over 90% of Lagos slums lie in flood-prone zones — low-lying coastal or riverine areas with poor drainage. The United Nations reports that in 2022, floods displaced over 200,000 Lagos residents, most of them from informal settlements.
2. Infrastructure Collapse
Slum homes, made from wood, scrap metal, and other makeshift materials, cannot withstand heavy rains. Entire houses collapse, sweeping away personal belongings and forcing families into overcrowded temporary shelters or onto streets.
3. Health Crisis
Floodwaters mix with open sewage due to lack of sanitation infrastructure. This causes outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera, dysentery, and typhoid. According to Lagos State Ministry of Health, slum communities record up to 3 times higher rates of infectious diseases during the rainy season compared to dry months.
4. Economic Disruption
Many residents depend on informal trade, fishing, and daily labor. Flooding disrupts markets and transport, cutting off income sources for weeks or months. A World Bank study estimates that the average household income in slums drops by 40% during heavy rains.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The slums of Lagos represent the stark contrast between rapid urban development and the realities faced by a significant portion of the city’s population. Addressing the challenges of these communities requires inclusive urban planning, investment in infrastructure, and a commitment to the rights and well-being of all residents.
As the city continues to grow, it is imperative that the voices of slum dwellers are heard and their needs addressed to create a more equitable and sustainable urban environment.
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