Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has revealed that flooding across the state has displaced more than 3,000 residents and affected over 57,000 others between January and October 2025.
The governor made this known while urging stronger collaborations to implement flood-resilient solutions that safeguard lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure from the worsening impacts of climate change.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, spoke in Ikeja on Monday during the commemoration of World Habitat Day 2025, themed “Urban Crisis Response: Flooding in Focus.”
He acknowledged Lagos’ unique vulnerability as a coastal megacity, stressing the urgency for decisive and collective action.
“As an aquatic state, flooding remains one of the biggest environmental threats confronting Lagos. It has the capacity to cause widespread damage to lives and property,” he stated.
According to the governor, the state government has adopted proactive and integrated strategies to mitigate flood impacts, including sustainable land use planning, construction of resilient infrastructure, expansion of affordable housing, promotion of green spaces, and comprehensive climate adaptation measures.
He identified the Lagos State Resilience Office (LASRO) as the central coordinating body driving these initiatives under the T.H.E.M.E.S.+ Agenda.
Sanwo-Olu stressed that emergency response alone is insufficient, calling for early warning systems, efficient drainage networks, and stronger collaboration with federal agencies, humanitarian organizations, and local communities.
He also appealed to private investors, development partners, and innovators to support the state’s flood resilience agenda through projects like mangrove restoration, smart drainage systems, renewable energy, flood-resilient housing, and urban risk insurance.
The governor cited ongoing partnerships with organizations such as the Dangote Group as examples of productive collaborations advancing Lagos’ climate resilience goals.
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