It rained on Sunday, 28 June, and much of Lagos came to a standstill.
Homes were flooded. Bedrooms, bathrooms, compounds, and parked cars were filled with water. People watched helplessly as belongings they had worked hard for were damaged within hours. Across the city, roads became impassable. If you were out that day, chances are you spent hours in traffic, surrounded by broken-down cars and buses struggling through floodwater.
Moments like these have a way of putting things into perspective. They remind us that during Nigeria’s rainy season, safety is not something to think about after the rain starts. It is something to prepare for long before the first dark clouds appear.
As heavy rainfall becomes more frequent and flooding continues to affect communities across the country, flood preparedness is no longer just the responsibility of emergency agencies. It starts at home, on our streets, and in our neighbourhoods. While extreme weather cannot always be prevented, many of the risks associated with flooding can be reduced through simple, practical actions taken in advance. Nigeria’s Annual Flood Outlook, published by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), provides yearly flood risk forecasts to help communities prepare before the rains intensify. You can read the latest forecast here.
Sustainability is often associated with renewable energy, recycling, or reducing waste. Those conversations are important, but building climate-resilient communities is just as critical. A sustainable community is prepared for environmental challenges, protects its people, and is likely to recover more quickly when disasters occur.
Whether you live in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Benin, Ibadan, or any other part of Nigeria that experiences heavy seasonal rainfall, these flood safety tips can help you better protect yourself, your family, and your home this rainy season.
1. Move valuables before the water rises
One of the biggest mistakes people make is waiting until floodwater has already entered the house before trying to save their belongings.
If your area is known to experience flooding, move important electronics, appliances, and sentimental items to higher shelves or an upper floor before heavy rainfall begins. Passports, birth certificates, academic certificates, emergency cash, and important documents should be stored in waterproof containers or sealed bags and kept well above ground level.
Preparing early is always easier than trying to recover what has already been damaged.
2. Keep drains and gutters clear
Flooding is not caused by rainfall alone. Blocked drainage systems often make the situation much worse.
Take time to clear gutters around your home and encourage your neighbours or Community Development Association to organise drainage clean-ups before the peak rainy months. Proper waste disposal also plays an important role. Plastic bottles, food containers, and other waste that end up in drains can quickly obstruct the flow of water.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) continues to emphasise clearing blocked drainage channels, responsible waste disposal, and community preparedness as some of the most effective ways to reduce urban flood risk.
3. Avoid driving or walking through floodwater
Floodwater can be deceptive.
What looks like a shallow pool may conceal deep potholes, broken roads, open manholes, or fast-moving currents. Even vehicles can lose traction or become stranded in water that appears manageable.
If a road is flooded and you cannot clearly see the surface beneath it, choose another route where possible. Arriving late is far better than putting yourself or your passengers at unnecessary risk.
NEMA also advises residents to avoid walking or driving through flooded areas and to relocate to higher ground where necessary during severe flooding.
4. Prepare for power outages
Heavy rainfall often comes with electricity disruptions.
Keep an emergency supply of fully charged power banks, flashlights, spare batteries, drinking water, basic medications, and non-perishable food. A battery-powered radio can also be useful if communication networks become unreliable during severe weather.
Think of it as preparing for inconvenience before it becomes an emergency.
5. Protect what cannot be replaced
Many important documents now exist in digital formats, but original copies still matter.
Store passports, certificates, legal documents, and other essential records in waterproof storage and keep digital backups in secure cloud storage where possible.
Flood recovery becomes significantly easier when your most important records are protected.
6. Plan alternative routes before you need them
If you commute regularly, do not rely on just one route.
Certain roads become flooded almost every rainy season. Familiarise yourself with safer alternatives and pay attention to weather updates before travelling. Before setting out, you can check forecasts from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and stay informed about local flood advisories, especially when heavy rainfall is expected. Sometimes the safest journey is simply the one you planned.
7. Switch off electricity if flooding begins
Water and electricity are a dangerous combination. If floodwater begins entering your home and it is safe to do so, switch off your main electrical supply immediately. Avoid touching electrical appliances while standing in water and never attempt repairs during flooding.
This simple action can help prevent serious injuries and reduce damage to your electrical systems.
8. Pack an emergency bag
Emergencies don’t give advance notice. Keep a small bag packed with medications, phone chargers, a flashlight, power bank, bottled water, toiletries, a change of clothes, and copies of important documents.
If you ever need to leave your home quickly, having these essentials already packed can make a significant difference.
9. Stay connected to your community
Flood preparedness is not something anyone should do alone. Keep in touch with neighbours, join your street or estate communication groups, and pay attention to official weather forecasts and flood advisories. Real-time updates from people nearby can help you avoid flooded roads, move your vehicle before water levels rise, or respond more quickly to changing conditions.
Community updates should complement, not replace, information from agencies such as NEMA, NIHSA, and NiMet, all of which issue flood forecasts and safety advisories throughout the rainy season.
10. Learn to swim and teach your children too
Swimming is often viewed as recreation, but it is an important life skill. As flooding becomes more common in many parts of Nigeria, basic swimming and water safety skills can improve survival in emergencies. Individuals who develop basic swimming and water competency skills are often better prepared to respond to unexpected situations in and around water.
That said, knowing how to swim should never encourage anyone to enter floodwater. Floodwater may contain strong currents, hidden debris, sewage, chemicals, and other hazards that make it extremely dangerous.
Learning to swim is about being better prepared, not taking greater risks.
Building a More Climate Resilient Nigeria Starts With Us
Every rainy season reminds us that climate resilience is not only about government infrastructure and emergency response. It is also about the everyday decisions made by individuals, families, and communities.
Clearing a drainage channel, repairing a leaking roof, waterproofing important documents, choosing not to drive through floodwater, learning basic water safety; these may seem like small actions, but together they reduce risk, protect lives, and strengthen our ability to cope with increasingly unpredictable weather.
The rain will come, as it always does. The question is whether we will be better prepared when it arrives.
This rainy season, let preparedness become a habit rather than a reaction. Your home, your family, and your community will be safer because of it. As NIHSA’s Annual Flood Outlook reminds us every year, early warning only makes a difference when it is followed by early action.
