If you live in certain parts of  Lagos, certain areas in Ajegunle, Ikorodu, or Lekki, to be precise, this might be a good time to pack a bag or at least stay alert as  Lagos braces for heavier rains. The state government has issued a renewed flood alert, urging residents in these vulnerable areas to move to higher ground. Tukunbo Wahab, the commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, during the live interview on Politics Today on Channels Television, advised residents in specific parts of Ajegunle, Ikorodu, and the Lekki corridor to consider temporary relocation due to the increased flood risk.

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“Those around the Ajilete axis of Lagos-that’s Ajegunle, they have to move. Those around the Coastline of Ikorodu, Majidu, have to move. Some areas around the Lekki corridor, too, not all,” Wahab Said.

He also named Isheri (OPIC Axis) as an area to keep a close eye on, even though he reassured that Epe, Mushin, and Ikeja should stay relatively safe.

It’s not just regular rainy season drama. Lagos, as Wahab pointed out, is a coastal city, which already makes it vulnerable to flooding, but this year it seems things could get worse. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) is forecasting heavier-than-usual rains in 2025. That, paired with poor drainage and rising sea levels, is creating a perfect storm.

And this isn’t a theoretical warning. Just this past weekend, parts of Lagos were completely flooded after non-stop rainfall from Sunday night through Monday. Social media was filled with videos of cars stuck in deep water, people trying to cross submerged streets, and entire neighbourhoods that looked like they’d been turned into lagoons overnight.

“For those who stay in the lowland of Lagos, they have to move to the upland pending when the rain recedes,” he stated.

This sounds very familiar to many Lagosians: the rain comes and the flood follows, then the governor issues public warnings and announcements, and to those living in those areas, it feels like an endless cycle of displacement, damage, and then back to square one.

The real issues go deeper than rainfall itself. Lagos’ infrastructure isn’t simply built to handle the kind of climate pressure, and if they don’t start adopting the long-term, sustainable solutions, these warnings might become constant and louder every year.

But for now, Wahab insists the goal is not to scare people, but to get them thinking ahead. 

So if you live in any of the flagged areas, maybe this is the time to get ready for what’s to come.

Anita Chinedu