Lagos orders Ajah, Kirikiri, other flood-prone residents to relocate to higher ground

The Lagos State Government has ordered residents in Ajah, Kirikiri and other flood-prone communities to relocate to higher ground following a fresh flood warning.

The directive was contained in a statement issued by the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Kunle Adeshina, on September 21, 2026, on behalf of Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab.

It followed a seven-day flood alert issued by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), covering Lagos and 14 other states from September 19 to 25.

What they are saying

Wahab identified Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Oke-Ira Nla in Ajah, Kirikiri, Ilaje Waterfront Jetty and Jetty Terminal B among areas vulnerable to flooding.

He urged residents in these locations and other low-lying communities to relocate early rather than wait for floodwaters to rise.

• “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 stated.

Residents were advised to remain on higher ground until the peak of the resurgent rainy season has passed.

Communities near rivers, lagoons, wetlands, drainage channels and other water bodies were urged to remain vigilant and follow official safety advisories.

The state government said it was intensifying monitoring of flood-prone and riverine communities in response to the latest warning.

Residents urged to move early

Wahab said communities along the Ogun River and other major waterways require particular caution because rainfall and rising upstream water levels could affect downstream areas of Lagos.

• He listed Isheri North, Kara, Itowolo, Ajegunle, Majidun, Ogolonto, parts of Agboyi and other settlements downstream of Isheri Olofin among areas requiring heightened vigilance.
• NIHSA warned that rising river levels could cause flooding in vulnerable communities and affect schools, healthcare centres, markets, farms and places of worship.
• Local governments, emergency agencies and community leaders were urged to activate early-warning and response mechanisms where necessary.

Residents were advised against walking or driving through flooded roads, bridges or fast-moving water.

The government also urged residents to stop dumping refuse into drains, canals and waterways, which can worsen flooding and delay the recession of floodwaters.

The Lagos Government said routine cleaning, maintenance and monitoring of drainage infrastructure would continue as it responds to the flood warning.

Get up to speed

Earlier in the 2026 rainy season, the Lagos State Government intensified enforcement against illegal waste dumping and other environmental violations, with Wahab linking indiscriminate refuse disposal to worsening flash floods during heavy rainfall.

In July, the government attributed flooding in some parts of Lagos to rising lagoon water levels and also continued action against structures obstructing drainage channels, including structures blocking drainage channels in Agungi and Ajiran.

The latest directive adds an immediate safety measure to these efforts by advising residents in identified vulnerable communities to relocate before flooding becomes severe.

What you should know

Earlier Nairametrics reporting found that experts attributed Lagos’ recurring flooding to a combination of rapid urbanisation, loss of wetlands and mangroves, inadequate flood-control infrastructure and planning challenges.

• Urban planner Tpl. Niyi Aderohunmu said the replacement of wetlands and mangroves with residential and commercial developments had reduced the city’s natural capacity to absorb stormwater, while geographer Abeeb Babajide Ajagbe described wetlands and mangroves as “natural flood infrastructure.”
• Environmental resource management expert Gbenga Oloniniran linked flooding to unregulated urban expansion and the loss of natural barriers, while independent researcher Tonami Playman said drainage expansion alone would not be enough without infrastructure for storing excess stormwater.

Wahab has also identified Lagos’ coastal geography, rapid urbanisation, illegal land reclamation and tidal locking among factors contributing to flooding across the state.