OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos
The administration of Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu says reforms in emergency management and climate resilience have significantly improved disaster response outcomes in Nigeria’s commercial hub, positioning Lagos as a leading centre for flood insurance innovation and disaster preparedness in Africa.
According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the agency recorded 9,688 emergency interventions between June 2019 and December 2025, reflecting expanded investments in early warning systems, rescue infrastructure, flood mitigation and community-based response mechanisms.
The agency said its seven operational bases and pre-hospital care units responded to emergencies across the state’s 20 local government areas and local council development areas during the period.
LASEMA data showed that 2021 recorded the highest annual emergency response volume, with 1,743 incidents handled. In 2025 alone, the agency said it managed 1,156 incidents, rescuing or resuscitating 1,924 people, while a total of 2,097 victims received emergency support.
Road accidents accounted for the highest number of emergencies in 2025 with 394 cases, followed by truck and tanker incidents at 249, while fire disasters accounted for 204 incidents.
The agency identified densely populated districts including Alimosho, Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Kosofe and Mushin as the areas with the highest response rates.
Officials said recent industrial and structural fires recorded minimal casualties due to improvements in inter-agency coordination and emergency command systems.
As part of broader climate adaptation efforts, the state government also highlighted a three-year flood management programme aimed at reducing the impact of seasonal flooding in the coastal megacity.
Measures introduced between 2023 and 2025 included the deployment of early warning units across local councils, monitoring of the Ogun River basin, drainage clearance projects and the establishment of local emergency committees trained to respond to flash floods.
The agency added that three emergency relief camps had been established in Lekki, Agbowa and Igando, with a combined capacity to shelter up to 5,000 displaced persons during severe flooding events.
Public awareness campaigns tagged “Flood-Free Lagos,” alongside school safety programmes and market emergency initiatives, were also credited with reducing flood-related risks and casualties despite heavier rainfall linked to climate change.
One of the administration’s flagship initiatives is a parametric flood insurance programme described by officials as Africa’s first sub-sovereign flood insurance policy.
The insurance arrangement provides up to $7.5 million in coverage for an estimated four million residents in seven flood-prone local government areas.
Unlike conventional insurance systems, payouts are triggered automatically using satellite-verified flood data, enabling rapid cash transfers to affected households and emergency repairs to damaged infrastructure.
The programme was developed with support from international partners including the United Nations Development Programme, AXA Climate, Swiss Re and AXA Mansard, alongside the German government-backed InsuResilience Solutions Fund.
Lagos officials said the state would gradually increase its share of premium financing over the coming years to ensure long-term sustainability of the programme.
The state government also announced the establishment of the Lagos State Institute of Disaster Management, designed as a regional training and research centre for disaster management professionals across Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to officials, the institute will provide certification programmes in incident command systems, search and rescue operations, flood risk assessment and humanitarian coordination, while also serving as a platform for regional knowledge exchange and simulation exercises.
Speaking on the developments, LASEMA Permanent Secretary Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu said the emergency reforms reflected a deliberate strategy to strengthen preparedness rather than rely on reactive responses.
“The integration of flood risk insurance and the establishment of our Institute of Disaster Management show that Lagos is not only responding to today’s emergencies but building systems that protect tomorrow’s generations,” he said.
LASEMA urged residents to report emergencies through the state’s emergency numbers, avoid indiscriminate waste disposal and participate in local emergency preparedness programmes.
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