Work Starts on Health Facilities in Flood-Prone Areas of Lagos

Months after PREMIUM TIMES reported on the dangers flooding and poor healthcare access posed to pregnant women in two Lagos communities, residents say the government is now addressing these issues.

In Agboyi, a riverine area in Kosofe Local Government, residents say renovations are happening at an old primary healthcare centre in Agboyi I. This centre was not functioning well when PREMIUM TIMES visited in October 2025.

Lameed Shakiru, the chairman of the Ward Health Committee for Agboyi II and III, confirmed this news. He said the Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area, led by Adetola Abubakar, is in charge of the renovations.

Videos and photos shared with PREMIUM TIMES show workers using construction equipment, including a concrete mixer and drilling machine, at the site. Mr Shakiru said that as of 8 October 2026, the work has reached the filling stage.

Health Centre Remains a Priority

This renovation is important because the non-working healthcare centre was one of the main issues pointed out in the PREMIUM TIMES report from November 2025. This report explained how flooding in Agboyi, surrounded by the Lagos Lagoon, makes it hard to move around and can delay urgent healthcare access.

A community nurse told PREMIUM TIMES during the earlier visit that residents sometimes had to look for canoe or boat operators to take women needing urgent medical help to safety.

One woman, Fatima Sulaimon, shared how she gave birth to her fifth child in a fishing canoe after flooding made it hard to reach a hospital.

SDG Facility Gets Attention

PREMIUM TIMES also learned that work has started at the 40-bed primary healthcare facility in Agboyi III, which was mentioned in the earlier report.

This facility was built by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs), headed by Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State. Although it was completed, the facility remained locked because flooding had covered its walkway and ground floor.

Mr Shakiru said the ground floor has been cleared and filled, while more work is ongoing around the facility. Desmond Utomwen, the spokesperson for OSSAP-SDGs, also told PREMIUM TIMES that they are dedicated to making the facility usable and are working with relevant state stakeholders to make it happen.

"The office is committed to it. God help us. We expect the state government to deploy personnel to activate it. We will keep you posted," Mr Utomwen said. He noted that the area has a serious waterlogging problem, mainly due to the layout of the riverine community.

Mr Utomwen added that they will fix any further issues found and "ensure the facility is eventually put to use."

Canal Cleared

In Amukoko, another flood-prone area mentioned in the PREMIUM TIMES report, residents say the government has cleared dirt from a major canal that had been clogged for years.

During the investigation, residents told PREMIUM TIMES that the canal had not been dredged for more than four years, which made flooding worse in the area.

A follow-up by PREMIUM TIMES found that the canal was cleared in August. However, residents said this was not enough.

"They cleared it in August. They only parked the periphery; it was not dredged," said Abubakar Abolore, a resident affected by the flooding.

Mr Abolore said residents were thankful for the clearing but wanted more from the authorities.

"We hope the government can help with a tarred road, which will make it above the water level," he said.