The Lagos State Government and the Federal Ministry of Works will meet with stakeholders to address concerns over flooding in communities along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway corridor, as the Federal Government announced new measures to improve drainage and traffic access.
Minister of Works Dave Umahi said the meeting, directed by President Bola Tinubu, will bring together officials from the Lagos State Government, the National Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Environment and other stakeholders to agree on lasting solutions to the flooding.
Umahi dismissed claims that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway caused the flooding, arguing that the project has instead improved the movement of stormwater through a network of culverts constructed along the corridor.
"The coastal highway has helped to evacuate floodwaters," Umahi said. "People saying the highway is causing flooding are not looking at the engineering evidence. The culverts are allowing water to flow naturally from one low point to another."
The minister attributed persistent flooding around Alfa Beach Estate to existing structural and drainage deficiencies rather than the highway project.
He said the Federal Government will construct new drainage channels beside the road and work with the Lagos State Government to build service lanes to improve local access and reduce flooding.
Umahi disclosed that some buildings would be demolished to create the service lanes, adding that the state government would play a key role in implementing the project.
He also blamed indiscriminate refuse dumping for worsening flooding, saying blocked manholes and drainage channels had prevented the free flow of water.
"When residents dump refuse into manholes and block culverts, they create their own flooding problems," he said. "Government cannot monitor every drainage point. Residents must also take responsibility."
The minister announced stricter enforcement along the highway corridor, directing officials to deploy 40 personnel on motorcycles to prevent illegal parking, street trading, refuse dumping, unauthorized access and livestock movement on the expressway.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Allwell Heacho Onyesoh, who accompanied the inspection, backed the minister's position, saying experts had shown lawmakers that flooding in Lagos predates the coastal highway.
"This flooding did not begin today," Onyesoh said. "Historical records show Lagos has experienced flooding for decades. Based on what we have seen, the coastal road cannot be blamed for the current situation."
He added that heavy flooding is a global challenge linked to changing weather patterns and urged Nigerians to rely on expert findings rather than speculation on social media.
The stakeholders' meeting is expected to produce a coordinated response involving federal and state authorities, with a focus on drainage improvements, infrastructure protection and long-term flood mitigation along the coastal highway corridor.
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