Original Research

Impacts of flood disasters in Nigeria: A critical evaluation of health implications and management

Caroline C. Olanrewaju, Munyaradzi Chitakira, Oludolapo O. Olanrewaju, Elretha Louw
Jàmbá: Journal of Disaster Risk Studies | Vol 11, No 1 | a557 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/jamba.v11i1.557 | © 2019 Caroline C. Olanrewaju, Munyaradzi Chitakira, Oludolapo A. Olanrewaju, Elretha Louw | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 20 October 2017 | Published: 18 April 2019

About the author(s)

Caroline C. Olanrewaju, Department of Environmental Sciences, School of Ecological and Human Sustainability, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa
Munyaradzi Chitakira, Department of Environmental Sciences, School of Ecological and Human Sustainability, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa
Oludolapo O. Olanrewaju, Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
Elretha Louw, Aurecon Centre, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

Floods lead to tremendous losses of property, infrastructure, business and increased risk of diseases. Floods are also the most frequent natural disasters, affecting over 2.8 billion people in the world and causing over 200 000 deaths over the past three decades. The World Health Organization categorised the 2012 flood disaster in Nigeria as the worst flood to have hit the country in the past 50 years. This study reviews flood disasters in Nigeria and how they have been managed over the past two decades. The extensive review of the literature is complemented by data obtained from Ajegunle, a community in Ajeromi–Ifelodun Local Government Area. Because of its proximity to water bodies, its large population and its small land mass, the Ajegunle community is highly susceptible to floods and outbreaks of waterborne diseases. The study also discusses the institutionalisation and development of disaster management in Nigeria. Further, it critically evaluates the disaster management framework and other current disaster management policies as well as the effectiveness and functions of the disaster management focus areas and government response. The study takes a historic approach to flood disasters, linking disaster management to human health with a special focus on flood-related infectious diseases, isolating waterborne diseases as being predominant. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to develop an understanding of how the people of Ajegunle are affected by flood disasters. This study reveals poorly managed health reforms and argues that in spite of government’s disaster management policies, there is an absence of organised and coordinated institutional structures to plan and respond to flood emergencies. It also revealed that diarrhoea outbreak was the predominant waterborne disease associated with flood disasters. Although Lagos State has been said to have the best flood preparedness plan in Nigeria, it has failed to reduce the yearly flood disasters and their impact on the health of the people. The article suggests a holistic approach by the government to get stakeholders, especially the health sector, more actively involved in disaster management planning.

Keywords

disaster management; floods; waterborne diseases; Ajegunle; Lagos; Nigeria

Metrics

Total abstract views: 10771
Total article views: 8944

 

Crossref Citations

1. Systematic review of flood resilience strategies in Lagos Metropolis: pathways toward the 2030 sustainable development agenda
Oluwagbenga Orimoogunje, Opeyemi Aniramu
Frontiers in Climate  vol: 7  year: 2025  
doi: 10.3389/fclim.2025.1603798

2. Application of GIS and Machine Learning to Predict Flood Areas in Nigeria
Eseosa Halima Ighile, Hiroaki Shirakawa, Hiroki Tanikawa
Sustainability  vol: 14  issue: 9  first page: 5039  year: 2022  
doi: 10.3390/su14095039

3. Evaluation of the performance of river hydraulic structures during floods using RIAM and MLM methods
Mahdiyeh Bagheri, Mohsen Masoudian, Ali Afrous
Arabian Journal of Geosciences  vol: 15  issue: 15  year: 2022  
doi: 10.1007/s12517-022-10520-9

4. Public preference of flood-resilient housing technologies in Nigeria: a case study of Kogi State
Hope Ameh, Jessica Lamond
International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment  vol: 16  issue: 1  first page: 87  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1108/IJDRBE-09-2022-0092

5. Vulnerability, Resilience and Adaptation of Lagos Coastal Communities to Flooding
Prince Emeka Ndimele, Akinloye Emmanuel Ojewole, Gabriel Olarinde Mekuleyi, Lateef Akorede Badmos, Christopher Monday Agosu, Emmanuel Sunday Olatunbosun, Oluseyi Olaide Lawal, Jamiu Adebayo Shittu, Olufemi Olabode Joseph, Kehinde Moyosola Ositimehin, Felix Chinsom Ndimele, Catherine Oluwalopeye Ojewole, Iman Olawunmi Abdulganiy, Odunayo Temitope Ayodele
Earth Science, Systems and Society  vol: 4  issue: 1  year: 2024  
doi: 10.3389/esss.2024.10087

6. The Ecopoetics of Flooding in Contemporary Nigeria
Sule Emmanuel Egya
Études anglaises  vol: Vol. 75  issue: 2  first page: 209  year: 2022  
doi: 10.3917/etan.752.0209

7. Smart waste bin monitoring using IoT for sustainable biomedical waste management
Aliyu Ishaq, Shamsuddeen Jumande Mohammad, Al-Amin Danladi Bello, Surajo Abubakar Wada, Adejimi Adebayo, Zainab Toyin Jagun
Environmental Science and Pollution Research  vol: 32  issue: 32  first page: 19434  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-30240-1

8. The Impacts of Flood and Local Communities’ Coping Strategies along the River Gambia
Edward Mendy, Sêmihinva Akpavi, Sidat Yaffa, Alpha Kargbo
American Journal of Climate Change  vol: 13  issue: 03  first page: 522  year: 2024  
doi: 10.4236/ajcc.2024.133024

9. Climate change and resilience of the Senegalese health system in the face of the floods in Keur Massar
Abdoulaye Moussa Diallo, Valery Ridde
The International Journal of Health Planning and Management  vol: 39  issue: 6  first page: 1840  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1002/hpm.3846

10. When does risk become residual? A systematic review of research on flood risk management in West Africa
Simon Wagner, Maxime Souvignet, Yvonne Walz, Kehinde Balogun, Kossi Komi, Sönke Kreft, Jakob Rhyner
Regional Environmental Change  vol: 21  issue: 3  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1007/s10113-021-01826-7

11. Drivers of ineffective environmental sanitation bye-laws in Ghana: Implications for environmental governance
Enoch A. Kosoe, Abubakari Ahmed
Urban Governance  vol: 4  issue: 1  first page: 16  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1016/j.ugj.2023.09.004

12. Flood Policy and Governance: A Pathway for Policy Coherence in Nigeria
Samir Shehu Danhassan, Ahmed Abubakar, Aminu Sulaiman Zangina, Mohammad Hadi Ahmad, Saddam A. Hazaea, Mohd Yusoff Ishak, Jiahua Zhang
Sustainability  vol: 15  issue: 3  first page: 2392  year: 2023  
doi: 10.3390/su15032392

13. Mapping socio-economic status using mixed data: a hierarchical Bayesian approach
Gabrielle Virgili-Gervais, Alexandra M Schmidt, Honor Bixby, Alicia Cavanaugh, George Owusu, Samuel Agyei-Mensah, Brian Robinson, Jill Baumgartner
Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A: Statistics in Society  vol: 188  issue: 3  first page: 859  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1093/jrsssa/qnae080

14. Enhancing water security through integrated storage mechanisms and rainwater harvesting for sustainable development
Joseph Omeiza Alao, Stanley U. Eze, Geraldine I. Onyenweife, Amarachukwu A. Ibe, Oche J. Otorkpa, Daniel A. Ayejoto, Fahad Abubakar, Momohjimoh Abdulsalami, Danga Onimisi Abdulmalik
Discover Sustainability  vol: 6  issue: 1  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1007/s43621-025-01914-2

15. Evaluating the Influence of Resident Agencies’ Participation in Flood Management via Social Media, in Nigeria
Aluko Folasade Abimbola, Hanif Suhairi Abu Bakar, Mohd Zukime Mat, Olusegun Hameed Adebambo
Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities  vol: 28  issue: 4  year: 2020  
doi: 10.47836/pjssh.28.4.15

16. Flood-related challenges and impacts within coastal informal settlements: a case from LAGOS, NIGERIA
Olumuyiwa Bayode Adegun
International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development  vol: 15  issue: 1  first page: 1  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1080/19463138.2022.2159415

17. ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF FLOOD ON THE COMMUNITIES IN DUTSIN-MA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA
Abdulhakim Wagini Hassan, Abdulrazak Ahmed, Yunusa Halliru, Ahmad Yahya Zakari, Ibrahim Umar Jallo, Jabir Abdulkadir, Abdulmumin Sulaiman Umar
FUDMA JOURNAL OF SCIENCES  vol: 7  issue: 6  first page: 139  year: 2023  
doi: 10.33003/fjs-2023-0706-2109

18. Weighted Linear Combination Procedures with GIS and Remote Sensing in Flood Vulnerability Analysis of Abeokuta Metropolis in Nigeria
J. A. Oyedepo, J. Adegboyega, D. E. Oluyege, E. I. Babajide
Nigerian Journal of Environmental Sciences and Technology  vol: 5  issue: 1  first page: 240  year: 2021  
doi: 10.36263/nijest.2021.01.0260

19. Flood Image Classification using Convolutional Neural Networks
Olusogo Julius Adetunji, Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju, Adebimpe Omolayo Esan, Adedayo Aladejobi Sobowale Sobowale
ABUAD Journal of Engineering Research and Development (AJERD)  vol: 6  issue: 2  first page: 113  year: 2023  
doi: 10.53982/ajerd.2023.0602.11-j

20. Flood Management Policies, Planning Capacities and the Health Implications in Nigeria
Emeka Leonard Udokporo, Chris Madu, Valentine Ejiofor, Chinedu Ani
International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology  first page: 3083  year: 2025  
doi: 10.38124/ijisrt/25oct503

21. Impact of Flood on Soil Microbial Diversity and Agricultural Productivity in Jigawa State, Nigeria
Hamza Musa Babandi, Adamu Adamu Durbunde
UMYU Scientifica  vol: 4  issue: 2  first page: 16  year: 2025  
doi: 10.56919/usci.2542.003

22. Human health in systemic adaptation to climate change: insights from flood risk management in a river basin
Timo Assmuth, Tanja Dubrovin, Jari Lyytimäki
Environment Systems and Decisions  vol: 40  issue: 3  first page: 427  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1007/s10669-019-09751-1

23. Households’ resilience to flood disaster in Lagos State, Nigeria: developing a conceptual framework unifying disaster resilience components and dimensions
Oluwafemi Michael Odunsi, Peter Olabiyi Olawuni, Oluwole Philip Daramola, Omotayo Ben Olugbamila, Bashir Olufemi Odufuwa, Margaret Yejide Onanuga, Umar Obafemi Salisu, Simeon Oluwagbenga Fasina, Surajudeen Oluseyi Momodu
Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences  vol: 14  issue: 1  first page: 69  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1007/s13412-023-00864-3

24. Environmental burden of unprocessed solid waste handling in Enugu State, Nigeria
Cordelia Nnennaya Mama, Chidozie Charles Nnaji, John P. Nnam, Opata C. Opata
Environmental Science and Pollution Research  vol: 28  issue: 15  first page: 19439  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1007/s11356-020-12265-y

25. Flood and Traditional Coping Strategy in Ahoada East (2012–2020), Rivers State
Azubuike E.S., Godwin B.L., Obuzor M.E.
African Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research  vol: 6  issue: 2  first page: 68  year: 2023  
doi: 10.52589/AJSSHR-C0ERVUO2

26. Flooding in Nigeria: a review of its occurrence and impacts and approaches to modelling flood data
Nura Umar, Alison Gray
International Journal of Environmental Studies  vol: 80  issue: 3  first page: 540  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1080/00207233.2022.2081471

27. Classifying climate vulnerability and inequalities in India, Mexico, and Nigeria: a latent class analysis approach
Jessie Pinchoff, Bidhubhusan Mahapatra, Raman Mishra, Adebola Adedimeji, Sangram K Patel, Ricardo Regules
Environmental Research Letters  vol: 19  issue: 3  first page: 034009  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/ad1fa6

28. Integrated assessment of flood susceptibility and exposure rate in the lower Niger Basin, Onitsha, Southeastern Nigeria
Ani D. Chinedu, Nkiruka M. Ezebube, Smart Uchegbu, Vivian A. Ozorme
Frontiers in Earth Science  vol: 12  year: 2024  
doi: 10.3389/feart.2024.1394256

29. Assessment of Health Risk Factors Associated with Flood Disaster in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria
Idaraobong I. Udoh, Andrew. A. Obafemi, Sunday A. Amama, Helen Ozeh
European Journal of Theoretical and Applied Sciences  vol: 3  issue: 5  first page: 81  year: 2025  
doi: 10.59324/ejtas.2025.3(5).10

30. A comprehensive review of flood monitoring and evaluation in Nigeria
Babati Abu-hanifa, Auwal Farouk Abdussalam, Saadatu Umaru Baba, Zaharraddeen Isa, Adamu Yunusa Ugya
International Journal of Energy and Water Resources  vol: 9  issue: 4  first page: 1741  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1007/s42108-025-00356-w

31. The Impact of “Soft” and “Hard” Flood Adaptation Measures on Affected Population’s Mental Health: A Mixed Method Scoping Review
Fatima El-Mousawi, Ariel Mundo Ortiz, Rawda Berkat, Bouchra Nasri
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness  vol: 18  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1017/dmp.2024.128