The Lagos State Government has directed residents of low-lying and flood-prone communities to relocate to higher ground following a fresh seven-day flood warning issued by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency.
The directive, issued on Monday, covers the period from September 19 to 25, with the government warning that rising river levels and renewed rainfall could threaten communities and critical facilities across the state.
In a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, the government said the warning followed NiHSA’s latest flood alert, identified as NFA-2026-2022, which affects Lagos and 14 other states.
The statement said the government had intensified monitoring in vulnerable locations and urged residents not to wait for floodwaters to rise before leaving areas at risk.
The areas specifically identified as vulnerable include Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Oke-Ira Nla in Ajah, Kirikiri near the seaport, Ilaje Waterfront Jetty and Jetty Terminal B, among others.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the state was treating the alert seriously and had stepped up surveillance across riverine, coastal and other flood-prone communities.
“We are urging Lagosians, particularly those living in flood-prone and low-lying areas, not to take this warning lightly. When the signs point to danger, the safest decision is to move early. No property is worth risking a life,” Wahab said.
He urged residents to remain on higher ground until the peak of the rainy season had passed, stressing that early relocation could reduce the risk of deaths and property losses.
The commissioner said Lagos typically experienced a second phase of the rainy season from September, when increased rainfall, rising water levels and tidal influences could intensify flooding in vulnerable locations.
He specifically called for heightened vigilance among communities along the Ogun River and other major waterways, warning that rainfall upstream and rising water levels in connected river systems could worsen downstream conditions in Lagos.
Among the communities named in the advisory are Isheri North, Kara, Itowolo, Ajegunle, Majidun, Ogolonto, parts of Agboyi and other settlements downstream of Isheri Olofin.
Wahab urged residents in the affected areas to move to safer locations and remain there while the threat persisted.
According to the statement, the NiHSA alert warned that rising river levels could flood vulnerable communities and disrupt critical facilities, including schools, healthcare centres, markets, farms and places of worship.
The commissioner directed affected local governments, emergency management agencies and community leaders to activate early-warning and response measures. He also urged residents to move people, livestock and valuable possessions to safer locations where necessary.
He said the Lagos State Government would continue to monitor river levels, rainfall patterns and other hydrological developments in collaboration with federal agencies.
The statement added that routine cleaning, maintenance and monitoring of drainage infrastructure would continue across the state.
However, Wahab again attributed part of the flood risk to blocked drainage channels, appealing to residents to stop dumping refuse in drains, canals and waterways.
He also cautioned residents against walking or driving through flooded roads, bridges and fast-moving water, urging people in vulnerable locations to make temporary relocation arrangements whenever official warnings indicated an imminent threat.
The commissioner said the protection of lives and property remained the government’s “foremost priority” and urged residents to treat flood forecasts as safety information requiring immediate action.
He assured residents that the state would continue deploying measures to reduce flood risks and provide updates as the situation developed, while calling on Lagosians to remain calm, vigilant and responsive to official advisories.
