Flood Crisis in Lagos: What Nigeria Can Learn from Taiwan’s Disaster Management Model
Story: written by Zara September 25,2025
For two consecutive days, torrential rains submerged Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, disrupting businesses, crippling transportation, and displacing thousands of residents. Similar scenes played out in Anambra, Delta, and several northern states, where devastating floods claimed lives and destroyed property.
Despite being Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria continues to suffer heavy losses from seasonal flooding, largely due to weak urban planning, poor infrastructure, and inadequate disaster preparedness. Experts warn that without a radical shift in policy and urban development strategy, the annual flood crisis will persist.
Taiwan, however, offers a compelling case study. Although the island nation is prone to earthquakes, typhoons, and flooding, it has developed resilient systems to mitigate damage. Speaking in Abuja, Andy Yih-Ping Liu, Taiwan’s Head of Mission to Nigeria, said both countries could learn from each other, particularly in construction standards, urban planning, and government regulation.
“Nigeria has flooding, we also have flooding. Taiwan has earthquakes and typhoons, yet we have never had a building collapse. Strong building codes, government involvement, and private sector collaboration are key,” Liu said.
He emphasized that Nigeria must rethink housing design, city layouts, and estate development, ensuring durable shelters, stronger transportation networks, and disaster-proof infrastructure.
The urgency is clear. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reported that as of September 20, 2025, 232 people had died, 121,224 displaced, and 339,658 affected nationwide. Lagos, Adamawa, and Akwa Ibom were among the hardest hit, with tens of thousands of homes and farmlands destroyed.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has also issued warnings of severe rainstorms and flooding in coastal and northern states in the coming weeks—threatening more economic disruptions and family displacements.
State governments such as Kaduna, Nasarawa, Bauchi, and Jigawa have launched campaigns to mitigate risks, but experts argue that piecemeal responses are not enough. They call for a national flood resilience plan anchored on strict building regulations, improved drainage systems, and stronger collaboration with global partners like Taiwan.
As floods continue to erode lives, livelihoods, and investments, Nigeria faces a critical choice: continue managing disasters reactively or adopt long-term strategies that turn vulnerability into resilience.
