Lagos keeps getting hammered every rainy season — submerged homes, gridlocked roads, businesses counting losses. Now, the Federal Government says enough is enough.

So, some much-needed backup might finally be on the way for Lagos.

The Federal Government has pledged to throw its full weight behind Lagos State to tackle its relentless flooding challenge and fix up its water infrastructure.

The commitment came straight from the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Lagos House, Marina on Thursday.

According to a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson, Funmi Imuetinyan, Utsev said the FG sympathises with Lagosians over the recent floods and is ready to get serious about long-term solutions — think better drainage, smarter urban planning, integrated water management, and proper coordination between all levels of government.

And this isn’t just talk. The 2026 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, has already listed Lagos among the 33 states most vulnerable to flooding this year. That means early warnings, proactive planning and real collaboration can’t wait.

Let’s be honest, we’ve all seen it. Every rainy season, Lagos floods seem to get worse — houses swamped, shops shut, roads turned to rivers, and the whole city at a standstill.

The Minister blamed it on a perfect storm of factors: Lagos being a coastal city, rapid urbanisation, climate change, rising sea levels and heavier rainfall.

He did, however, give the state government some credit for trying to hold the line, and promised continued federal support for sustainable fixes.

> “We are ready to work closely with Lagos State to strengthen flood resilience through integrated water resources management, improved drainage infrastructure, nature-based solutions, effective urban planning and enhanced institutional coordination,” Utsev assured.

There’s more. Lagos has shown interest in joining the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene programme, SURWASH, and Utsev described it as a game-changer for improving water supply and sanitation.

He also nudged the state to push harder towards becoming Open Defecation Free, ODF, especially in underserved communities.

On the FG’s side, Utsev revealed that the first draft of the National Water Compact is ready — it’s meant to drive reforms in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Plus, NIHSA has launched two big tools: the National Flood Intelligence Monitoring System and the Multi-Hazard Flood Early Warning System to help predict floods and boost emergency response.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, in his response, thanked the Minister and stressed that as Nigeria’s commercial heartbeat, Lagos is right on the frontline of climate change and can’t do it alone.

“There is a need for sustained collaboration between the Federal and State Governments in implementing practical and sustainable measures to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change,” the Governor said.

He added that Lagos already has a clear roadmap to achieve Open Defecation Free status and is all in for partnering with the FG to clean up sanitation, improve hygiene and finally get a grip on flooding.

Both sides ended the meeting on the same page — building a cleaner, healthier, safer and more climate-resilient Lagos.

Source: cbinews.tv

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