By Ebunoluwa Sessou

For women in coastal communities, doing business could be more frustrating, annoying and challenging. Especially when the impact of ocean surge and environmental degradation in Lagos coastal communities make it more difficult for the women to support their families in any way possible.

In some of the communities, including Makoko, Ijora and Ago-Egun coastal communities, life experiences of ocean surge, flooding, and environmental degradation for most women have become more tense.

From community to community

Over 300 women in those coastal areas, they rather survive by adapting to every situation. Most of them are fisherwomen and petty traders who support their homes.

As the rainy season pours in, the flood waters do more harm to their wooden shanties and narrow streets.
Even more heartbreaking are the stories of children kept home from school; not because they are interested in education but for the fear of flood.

From homes invaded by water to fish stocks depleted by ocean surges, these women are the first to feel the impact and the last to be heard.

Narrating their pains, they spoke about the burden of keeping their families afloat amid constant displacement, education disruptions for children and exposure to unsafe water. All these challenges explain the urgent need for an inclusive climate action plan.

Bunmi, a mother of three in Ago-Egun shared her experience, “Our homes get flooded during the rainy season, we walk in water, sometimes we do not sleep in our rooms, and our properties get spoiled.

For Mariam, the water is always contaminated “Our water gets contaminated, smells and is full of crawling things. This is why we need help.

Another woman, Janet, a fish seller in Ago-Egun, said, “The Ocean brings dirt, not fish. Once it is the rainy season, our sales reduce and we suffer financially”.

Another food vendor in Ijora, Bose, “We cannot work until the water returns to the ocean.

Ngozi, a single mother who lives in Ijora lamented, “My son missed school for two weeks last year because our house was under water.

Hadiza, a widow in Makoko said, most of the time, the women are always sidelined from community meetings “Only the men are called for meetings.

A hairdresser, Grace who lives in Ijora area of Lagos said, the challenges faced by women in that community is such that they need the support of every woman to be united to form a coalition to be able to weather the storm. “We need financial support, training and people that could help us. The challenges are numerous”.

Illness

Bolanle, a mother of four said, “Our drinking water becomes contaminated; my children are always sick because that’s the only source of drinking water supply”.

Malaria, typhoid, and skin infections are prevalent. There is also an increase in waterborne diseases among children and pregnant women.

Kafaya, a fish seller, “Most of us are fish sellers and that is our major source of income. But, flooding has reduced our access to fishing and it has forced many of us out of business.

“During the peak of the rainy season, the sea level rises and the fish settles under, we just stop going to the market because there is no fish to sell. By the time we resume, customers are gone and it affects our income.

“Most of us experience different illnesses including cholera, malaria, and foot sores. There are recurring cases of skin rashes and cold due to prolonged exposure to contaminated water”, she said.

Tope, a mother of three, lamented that, “Most of the time, flooding takes over our homes, damages properties, and we are displaced. We suffer food insecurity and the education of our children is disrupted. “When it floods, we move to relatives’ houses, we cannot feed our families.”

Flooding has taken its toll on nutrition and health, even education. “Our children cannot go to school when there is flooding; it is too dangerous”, said Modinatu.

Rukayat, a pregnant woman, lamented how her homes were frequently submerged during rainy seasons. Stagnant water causes insect infestations and poor hygiene. “We walk on water inside our homes, our feet are always sore, and our children get rashes.”

Other women also lamented that life is always miserable during the rainy season as they are unable to sleep in their houses. Flood destroys our properties and it is a major challenge for us.

Fatimoh narrated an experience, “I remember in 1999 when I was still young that the flood claimed people’s life back then, the flooding did not just start, it is a recurrence incident.

“I was 15years old then, some people were inside their homes for seven days without coming out and for like a month, we were using a canoe to travel within the community, it destroyed properties and people did not know how to differentiate the canal with the flood, people lost their lives at that time.

“We need the government to help find a solution to this problem, it is not a recent problem, we have been dealing with this for a long time, and we cannot sell our goods when the flood rages. This is a major setback for us because we cannot feed our children and it also affects our children’s health and some of our children die in the process”.

NGO intervention

Speaking during a community intervention exercise, the founder of the, Aiding Lives Initiative for the Vulnerable, ALIVE, Pandora Umechukwu, disclosed that, the organisation has been doing everything within its capacity to interface with the women as a way understanding their challenges and the possible way of alleviating the situation.

According to her, “The discussions organized by the organization have been documented especially when it comes to the gendered impact of climate change on women’s health, livelihoods, family life, and business activities.

“The FGD sessions uncovered harrowing stories of flooded homes, destroyed means of income, and increasing health challenges ranging from waterborne diseases to mental distress.

“The Goal of the documentation is to bring to the fore, the impact of ocean surge and environmental degradation on women in coastal communities is to promote environmental justice for women in Lagos State’s coastal communities, amplify their voices through focused group discussions and advocacy, facilitate capacity-building and community-led interventions, and influence inclusive climate action policy development and implementation at local, state and federal levels.

Gendered Struggles

“Women face gender-specific vulnerabilities due to their dual roles as caregivers and income earners. During floods, they are responsible for ensuring the safety of children, sourcing food, managing water collection, and navigating destroyed sanitation systems, all while often losing their primary means of livelihood. Unlike men, they are rarely included in decision-making processes, which limit their access to critical information and resources.

The burden of displacement falls heavily on them as they are tasked with finding alternative shelter and maintaining household cohesion amid chaos. These overlapping responsibilities intensify their psychological and physical stress in ways not equally experienced by men.

Health & Livelihoods

“Flooding has severely restricted access to clean drinking water, especially in Makoko and Ago-Egun Community where water becomes contaminated during the rainy season, causing frequent illness in children. The women reported high incidences of cholera, malaria, skin rashes, and swollen feet.

On the economic front, the flooding disrupts women’s businesses, especially for those engaged in fish selling and small-scale trading. Scarcity of fish, damaged stalls, and impassable roads force many to suspend operations entirely, exacerbating poverty and food insecurity.

Policy

These community women are crying out for a people-centered climate action plan that involves women in decision-making, funds grassroots initiatives, and commits to real infrastructure improvements. Policy changes must ensure the inclusion of gender-based environmental needs, enforce accountability in waste management, and build localized disaster preparedness systems.

Solutions & Call to Action

“These women urgently need inclusion in the Lagos State Climate Action Plan, livelihood support in the form of grants, alternative income training, and access to microcredit.

“Disaster preparedness education tailored for women. Inclusion in community decision-making and climate adaptation planning. Formation and funding of women-led support groups to build resilience and peer-led solutions”, she said.