Lagos State Explains Flooding Solutions, Rebukes Rhodes-Vivour’s ‘Simplistic’ Suggestions

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The Lagos State Government has responded to comments made by opposition politician Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour regarding recent flash floods across the state, dismissing his proposals as “simplistic” and “politically motivated” rather than genuine problem-solving.

In a detailed statement, the government explained that Lagos, a coastal megacity of over 23 million residents, faces unique environmental challenges due to its geography. With just 3,577 square kilometers of land and a 186km Atlantic coastline, the city experiences frequent “tide-locking”—a phenomenon where heavy rainfall coincides with high tide, preventing water from draining into the lagoon and causing temporary flooding.

Officials compared Lagos’ situation to other global coastal cities such as Venice, Amsterdam, and Bangkok, which also battle complex flooding dynamics. The government stressed that its strategy is not based on quick fixes but on a comprehensive, three-part approach: short-term water detention, wider and clearer drainage channels, and one-way valves or pumps to prevent backflow during high tides.

Ongoing projects between 2023 and 2025 include maintenance of 579 km of secondary drains and 309 km of primary channels, clearing of 444 km of blocked drains, restoration of 40 km of encroached waterways, and the construction of 218 new channels that will add 1,500 km to the network. The state has also begun integrating pumps in low-lying areas and testing its first “polder-style” installation at Ilubirin, designed to protect Lagos Island from recurrent floods.

Immediate steps are also underway, such as installing debris screens on culverts to prevent plastics from blocking inlets, intensifying silt clearance at choke points like Ajiran and Agungi, and piloting detention lakes in housing estates to temporarily hold stormwater.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to long-term flood resilience, insisting that managing water in Lagos requires science, planning, and sustained investment—not what it described as “cheap attention-seeking.”