Land Reclamation and Sand-Filling Blamed for Worsening Lagos Floods

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bode George, has attributed the persistent flooding in parts of Lagos to aggressive and unregulated sand-filling of the Lagos Lagoon.

Speaking during a recent interview, George raised concerns over extensive land reclamation projects, particularly around high-brow areas like Ikoyi and Lekki, which he argued have severely disrupted the region’s natural drainage landscape. He noted that large swathes of these neighborhoods were originally surrounded by water before massive reclamation efforts connected them, often without adequate documentation or consideration for long-term environmental consequences.

According to George, the excessive sand-filling has significantly reduced the capacity of the lagoon to absorb stormwater runoff. He observed that at key points, such as the Ibrahim Babangida Bridge, the water level of the lagoon now appears higher than the adjacent road infrastructure. This elevation imbalance effectively reverses the natural drainage pattern, preventing rainwater from flowing away from the streets.

The political stakeholder warned that narrowing the lagoon to build premium waterfront properties has left the surrounding infrastructure highly vulnerable. He emphasized that without the deployment of mechanical pumping systems, floodwaters will continue to submerge major roads and canals during the rainy season because the water no longer has a natural, lower-level basin to flow into.