Torrential rain turned major Abuja routes like Lugbe and Airport Road into rivers today, blocking traffic and leaving thousands of vehicles stuck. Commuters waded through floods or hunkered down, with one calling it ‘officially in the trenches.’ The mess stems from rapid city growth, poor drainage, and construction on waterways, echoing past rainy season woes that predate the current administration.
The flooding in Abuja is a recurring crisis that the government has failed to address. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had forecast three days of rain and thunderstorms across the country, warning that strong winds may precede thunderstorms and that prolonged rainfall, especially in coastal areas, could lead to flash flooding . The agency also advised motorists to avoid traveling during heavy rainfall and cautioned residents to stay away from tall trees due to the risk of falling branches .
Despite the warnings, the drainage infrastructure in Abuja was overwhelmed. The rapid growth of the city has outpaced the development of drainage systems, and construction on waterways has exacerbated the problem. The floods are a reminder that the government’s promises to address the flooding crisis have not been kept.
This echoes the 2022 floods in Abuja, which also saw major roads submerged and commuters stranded. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a city brought to a standstill by a natural disaster that the government was not prepared for.
The winners: none. The losers: the commuters who were stranded; the businesses that lost revenue; and the Nigerian government, which faces criticism for its failure to address the flooding crisis.
Bottom Line: Abuja is underwater again. The government was warned. The question is whether it will finally act or wait for the next flood.