Lagos Orders Residents In Flood-Prone Areas To Relocate As NiHSA Alert Covers 15 States

Nigeria's flood monitoring agency has put fifteen states on alert, and Lagos State has responded by directing residents in high risk areas to relocate immediately rather than wait for water to reach their homes.

The warning comes from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, in an advisory filed under the code NFA-2026-262. Agency chief Umar Ibrahim Mohammed identified nine river monitoring points showing rising water levels, with three along the Cross River, Obubra, Itigidi and Epento, flagged for close attention. The advisory covers the period from September 19 through 25, and the states affected include Imo, Cross River, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra, Akwa Ibom and several others detailed separately in the agency's state level breakdowns.

Cross River carries the heaviest exposure. NiHSA's figures show nearly 2,500 communities in the state within reach of the flooding, alongside roughly 700 schools, over 300 health facilities, close to 150 markets, more than 450 religious buildings and almost 900 hectares of farmland. Mohammed called on state governments, council leaders, traditional rulers and community heads to move people, livestock and valuables to higher ground before the rivers rise rather than after.

Lagos State confirmed it was acting directly on NiHSA's warning, in a statement from the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources issued through Director of Public Affairs Kunle Adeshina. Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab urged residents not to wait for floodwaters to rise before leaving areas at risk.

Wahab noted that Lagos typically experiences a second phase of the rainy season from September, when increased rainfall, rising water levels and tidal influences 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.

Areas identified as most vulnerable include Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Oke-Ira Nla in Ajah, Kirikiri near the seaport, Ilaje Waterfront Jetty and Jetty Terminal B. Riverside settlements downstream of Isheri Olofin were also named, including Isheri North, Kara, Itowolo, Ajegunle, Majidun, Ogolonto and parts of Agboyi. Wahab urged residents in these areas to move to safer locations and remain there while the threat persists.

He 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 relocation arrangements whenever official warnings indicate an imminent threat.

Wahab said the Lagos State Government would continue monitoring river levels, rainfall patterns and other hydrological developments in collaboration with federal agencies, with routine cleaning, maintenance and monitoring of drainage infrastructure continuing across the state. He 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.