Lagos transport hike, traffic and aftermath of recent flooding

By Hauwa Ali

Going by the experience of the recent flooding in many parts of Lagos, The issue of flooding is no doubt getting to a frightening level as it causes untold hardship to residents.

It  has gotten to a level where some people now view the rain as a curse, rather than a blessing from God because of the havoc it brings with it in a place where there’s little or no prevention mechanisms. 

This year’s flooding in some parts of the state resulted in loss of lives and properties, alongside untold hardship to residents with increase in transport fares and terrible traffic gridlock. While Commercial drivers site ‘traffic’ as major reason reason for transport hike, due to blocked road resulting from bad road and flood, residents blame the government for not putting precautionary measures in place beforehand to ameliorate the sufferings of residents during the raining season.

Residents who spoke to NatureNews narrates their ordeal and possible causes of the flood in their areas.

“ If I tell you that I paid 3,000 Naira from Eleko to Jakande, you wont believe. Something that used to be 600 naira. And it’s the flood that cause all these things because there is fuel. The road is bad before and the flood made it worse, causing heavy traffic. We’re really suffering on this axis.” Anthony Okon, an Ibeju-Lekki  resident said.

“The flood was very very bad. In my area, people will just go to work and came back to met their properties soaked with water, even electronics.” Johnson, an Ajah resident said.

“ There’s no proper drainage channel and the ones available are blocked.  

“The government is not sensitizating people on proper disposal of waste that’s why the drainages are blocked. I remember there was one government that engaged in waste disposal sensitization in Lagos some years ago. That thing really worked and a lot of people became conscious of throwing things out of their cars or just on the road. I dont know why this government cannot sensitize the people, it will help really.” Johnson said.

A commercial motorist called Ayomide Bashir narrated his ordeal on the road, citing some causes of the traffic.

“The traffic around Lagos has been hell on earth.  It’s not funny at all. This raining season really caused hardship for many people because the traffic has been crazy. The reason is, no proper drainage system on the road. When rain falls it eats up the road because it stays on the road for long. Before you know there is pothole and flood fills the pothole again and blocks that part of the road as people will avoid driving their vehicles into that much water.” He said.

“That’s the major reason for the fare hike because we spend hours to get to a short distance, burning petrol. 

“ Even in residential areas, where the flood affected many people, it is still because of the poor drainage system and management. You cant build infrastructure and not put its management in place. The government built some drainages but there’s no proper management of it that’s why people can pour their wastes into the drainages. 

“How can you decide to build some drainages and no proper waste management? Where will people pour their wastes when LAWMA dont come to pick them? Sincerely, the government is not organised and not taking the welfare if its citizens seriously.”he added.

Earlier in the year, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMET, forecasted the expected rainfall and temperature patterns, with high intensity rainfall predicted in Lagos and others states, which was announced by the Commissoner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Drainage and Water Resources, Joe Igbokwe, when making the 2022 Seasonal Climate Predictions in Lagos.

One would wonder why there was no preparation to avert the pending havoc the flood may cause since predictions were made earlier.

In the commissioner’s words: “The predicted onset, cessation and rainfall amount of 2022 is similar to the prediction for 2021 and the implication is that we are anticipating to experience a rain pattern of high intensity and frequency similar to that of 2021.

“Lagos Island is expected to have a rainfall onset date as April 6, cessation date as November 30 and a total rainfall amount of 1627mm.

This year’s flood is not the first case in Lagos as the state has a long history of flooding; long enough to make the government decisive about solving the problems head-on. 

Historical facts about flood in Lagos

According to research, Lagos  climate is equatorial, with rainfall  throughout  the  year. Average monthly rainfall during the rainy season can exceed 200mm, typically greater than the infiltration capacity of the soils rapidly leading to the generation of runoff that overwhelms the drainage system.

Lagos has  a low-lying topography with slopes  typically between 1–4%, and elevations ranging from or below sea level to approximately 2m above sea level. The low slope angle delays the drainage of water from the land, which combined with the increase in runoff generation associated with urban expansion, increases the flood risk over time. 

Available historical record of flooding in Lagos dates back to July 1947  with the event being caused by a period  of  heavy  rainfall.  

Despite  the  long  history  of  flooding  in  Lagos,  the  growth  of unplanned settlements in the city has compounded the flood issue with only 45% of the urban area being served by storm drains, of which less than 30% are regularly maintained. 

The speed and extent of urbanisation in Lagos, combined with unplanned growth has led to an increase in flood episodes, to the point where they have become a perennial problem. 

Flooding in Lagos is now an annual event. The heightened risk of flooding in Lagos during the wet season has been recognised as an issue since at least the 1970s when residents considered it one of the three most important environmental  problems.  

Typically, flooding  in  the  area  is  caused  by  either  short-duration high-intensity rainfall or long-duration low intensity rainfall, the frequency of both having increased compared to 30 years ago. 

 Flooding in 2010, 2011 and 2012 have helped to raise the general awareness of the flood problem  in  Lagos, though they  also  demonstrate  the scale of  the  problem  that  must  be overcomed. 

All three  of the floods had the  same basic impacts: displacement of  residents, damage to property, disruption to communications and loss of life. 

The 2010 flood affecting Ikorodu caused significant damage and the relocation of thousands of residents,  of whom over 1700 had to be provided with accommodation by the Lagos State government for over 10 months. The following year’s flooding led to the costliest claims  settlement in the history of the Nigerian insurance industry, estimated to range from between US$200 million to over US$300 million, though it should be noted that a significant number of low and middle-income properties were also affected but uninsured. 

The flooding in 2012 was considered the worst flood event in over 40 years affecting 7.7 million people including over 500 residents  whose injuries were considered either  a direct or  indirect result of  the flood and over 2 million residents displaced by the flood waters.

The way out 

The government must be decisive in tackling the challenges of flooding in Làgos State by building more drainages and ensuring the proper management of the available drainage system. In maintaining the drainages, the government must punish offenders who clog the drainages with waste. Once people know there is punishment for offenders, the habit may stop.

There must be a system of fixing bad roads especially before the raining seasons to reduce the effect of the flood on commuters and commercial activities in the state.

The government must also ensure proper waste management in every community in addition to proper sensitisation of waste disposal.

As Lagos state advance in urban growth and development, the government must  enhance planning policy to improve public health and people’s well-being.