El Niño: Lagos urges residents to stay hydrated, avoid sunlight

Lagos Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.

The Lagos State Government has urged residents to take precautions against possible extreme heat as the dry season approaches and the El Niño climate challenge strengthens.

The state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, issued the warning in a statement shared on X on Sunday.

Wahab warned that rising temperatures could worsen dehydration, heat discomfort, respiratory problems and poor air quality, particularly among children, older persons, pregnant women and outdoor workers.

He said: “As Lagos prepares for possible extreme heat conditions associated with the strengthening El Niño climate pattern and the transition into the dry season, I urge all residents to take necessary precautions to protect their health and wellbeing.”

He attributed the state’s vulnerability to its high population density, rapid urbanisation, limited green spaces and built-up environment, which can intensify the urban heat effect.

“As a densely populated and rapidly urbanising coastal city, Lagos is particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures. Our densely built-up neighbourhoods, roads and limited green spaces can intensify the urban heat effect, making conditions more challenging for many residents.

“The anticipated conditions could increase heat discomfort, dehydration, respiratory challenges and poor air quality, particularly among vulnerable groups, including children, older persons, pregnant women and outdoor workers,” the statement said.

In his advisory, Wahab urged residents to stay hydrated, avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, wear light clothing and limit strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest hours of the day.

“I therefore call on every Lagos resident, community leader, market association, school, business owner and employer to take this advisory seriously. Let us make access to clean drinking water, shaded spaces and proper ventilation a priority, especially for those who work outdoors and those most at risk.

“Residents are also urged to stay hydrated, avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, wear light clothing, limit strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest hours and avoid open burning of refuse,” the statement said.

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Residents were also advised to avoid open burning of refuse and prioritise access to clean drinking water, shaded areas and proper ventilation, particularly for vulnerable people and outdoor workers.

“Beyond immediate precautions, we must confront the environmental factors that worsen urban heat. Protect our trees, plant more, preserve our green spaces, dispose of waste responsibly and desist from activities that degrade our environment,” the statement added.

It stressed that the government would continue to strengthen public awareness and collaborate with relevant agencies and stakeholders to improve preparedness and response to extreme heat.

It added that households, communities and businesses all had a role to play in protecting public health and making Lagos more resilient to climate-related challenges.

“Keeping Lagos safe from the impacts of extreme heat requires action from all of us. Government will continue to strengthen public awareness and collaborate with relevant agencies and stakeholders to improve preparedness and response. But every household, street, community and business has a role to play.

“Let us act early, look out for one another and take collective responsibility for building a cooler, healthier and more climate-resilient Lagos,” the statement said.

El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon that occurs when sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become warmer than normal.

It can disrupt atmospheric circulation and influence rainfall and temperature patterns in different parts of the world.

El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, a climate pattern that also includes La Niña, its cooler phase, and neutral conditions. The phenomenon does not produce the same effects everywhere, as local weather conditions and other ocean-atmosphere processes can influence its impact.