Lagos residents on Tuesday morning experienced yet another round of severe flooding after heavy rainfall that began in the early hours of the day. The downpour submerged major roads and several neighborhoods, including Ikorodu, Okota, Akowonjo, and Lekki, leaving many residents stranded as homes and shops were overtaken by floodwaters.
Ikorodu, which was badly affected by previous floods that destroyed property worth millions of naira, once again recorded significant damage. Viral videos shared on social media showed Alhaji Idowu Street in Akowonjo completely filled with water. A resident lamented, “Just three hours of rain and everywhere is flooded. It feels like we don’t matter here. This is terrible.”
In Okota, traffic moved at a slow pace along the heavily flooded Ago Palace Way, while in Osapa London, Lekki, estate access roads were blocked at several points. A resident, Mustapha, said the situation forced him to remain indoors all day. “There are places where the water almost enters your vehicle. I took that risk before, but not again. Even Uber drivers avoid this area because the floods damage their cars,” he explained.
The floods also caused severe gridlock across the city as many vehicles broke down on submerged highways, trapping motorists and pedestrians during the morning rush. Some of the pedestrian described their experience along the road linking Agege to Ogba and Wempco Road, where traffic was brought to a halt. “The T-junction by the Mobil filling station was heavily flooded. Smaller cars couldn’t move, and only SUVs and buses managed to cross. Traffic was so bad causing them to be at their work place late .
The recurring Lagos floods have raised fresh concerns about the city’s drainage system. With the rainy season still ongoing, residents fear that more downpours could bring further damage and disruption in the weeks ahead.
