Lagos State has told its more than 20 million residents to brace for extreme heat as the El Niño climate pattern strengthens and the dry season sets in, urging hydration, shade and collective action to protect the city's most vulnerable people.
The warning came from Tokunbo Wahab, the State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, in a statement shared on X on Sunday, according to Punch Newspapers. It lands as the harmattan season approaches and temperatures across the coastal megacity begin their annual climb.
What the Lagos State Government is asking residents to do
Wahab's advisory is direct: drink water consistently, avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, wear light clothing and skip strenuous outdoor activity during the hottest hours of the day. He also told residents to stop open burning of refuse, a habit that worsens air quality when the heat settles in.
He called on community leaders, market associations, schools, business owners and employers to take the advisory seriously and make clean drinking water, shaded spaces and proper ventilation a priority, especially for outdoor workers.
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.
The commissioner identified the groups most at risk: children, older persons, pregnant women and people who work outdoors, from market traders to danfo drivers to construction crews. For these Lagosians, heat is not an inconvenience. It is a health threat that can bring dehydration, respiratory problems and poor air quality.
Why Lagos is especially exposed to urban heat
Wahab did not sugarcoat the city's vulnerability. Lagos is densely populated, rapidly urbanising and short on green spaces, a combination that intensifies what scientists call the urban heat effect. Concrete roads and tightly packed neighbourhoods absorb heat during the day and release it at night, keeping temperatures higher than in surrounding areas.
As he put it in the statement, the city's densely built-up neighbourhoods, roads and limited green spaces can make conditions more challenging for many residents. TVC News reported the full advisory, including the warning against open burning of refuse.
As a densely populated and rapidly urbanising coastal city, Lagos is particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures.
The advice echoes wider guidance from health outlets. Africa Health Report noted that residents should drink sufficient water, wear light clothing and stay in shaded, well-ventilated places during the hottest periods of the day.
What is El Niño and why does it matter for Nigeria?
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. It can disrupt atmospheric circulation and shift rainfall and temperature patterns across the globe.
Its effects are not uniform. Local weather conditions and other ocean-atmosphere processes shape how strongly any region feels it. For Lagos, the concern flagged by the state government is a hotter, harsher dry season than usual.
This matters beyond Nigeria's borders. African cities from Dakar to Dar es Salaam face the same squeeze: rapid urbanisation, shrinking green cover and a climate crisis that the continent did the least to cause but feels the hardest. Lagos acting early is the kind of proactive, homegrown response the moment demands.
Building a cooler, more resilient Lagos together
Wahab went beyond immediate precautions. He asked Lagosians to confront the environmental factors that worsen urban heat: protect existing trees, plant more, preserve green spaces and dispose of waste responsibly.
The statement stressed that government will keep strengthening public awareness and collaborating with relevant agencies and stakeholders on preparedness and response. But it also made clear that 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 Eagle Online also carried the advisory, reporting that the commissioner urged regular water intake, breathable clothing and avoidance of strenuous outdoor work during peak heat.
For now, the message to Lagosians is simple. Carry water. Find shade. Check on your neighbours, especially the elderly and the children. The heat is coming, and the city that never sleeps will have to face it awake, together.
Frequently asked questions
What did the Lagos State Government warn about?
On Sunday, November 1, 2026, Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab warned that a strengthening El Niño pattern and the approaching dry season could bring extreme heat to Lagos, raising risks of dehydration, heat discomfort, respiratory problems and poor air quality.
Who is most at risk from the extreme heat in Lagos?
The state government named children, older persons, pregnant women and outdoor workers as the most vulnerable groups.
How can Lagos residents protect themselves from the heat?
Stay hydrated, avoid prolonged direct sunlight, wear light clothing, limit strenuous outdoor activity during the hottest hours and avoid open burning of refuse, according to the advisory.
What is El Niño?
El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, a recurring climate pattern involving shifts in ocean temperatures and atmospheric circulation that affect rainfall and temperature worldwide.