The Mangrove Destruction Crisis in Africa's Most Populous City

Each year, the coastal city of Lagos, Nigeria—with a population of over 22 million people—experiences significant flooding due to heavy rainfall. This leads to the destruction of property and the washing away of the city’s roads as a result of coastal erosion and rising sea levels. One of the factors contributing immensely to this catastrophe is the constant destruction of mangroves in Lagos.

Mangroves and wetlands—which are the most valuable ecosystems in terms of carbon sequestration, rainwater drainage/purification, biodiversity habitat/breeding grounds, and supporting fishing communities—are currently being damaged at an alarming rate in Lagos.

Local communities continue to bear the devastating consequences of this problem. It affects the livelihoods of coastal communities dependent on fishing for income and food security, leading to declines in fish stocks and disrupting local fisheries. Apart from the economic effects of coastal erosion, houses are submerged, rendering hundreds of families homeless.

Some main reasons for mangrove destruction in the Lagos megacity include rapid urbanization and population growth, pollution, and the conversion of mangrove habitats into residential or commercial properties.

Experts say the recurring destruction of mangroves will increase the city’s risk of experiencing an unprecedented flood crisis. In this project, Damilola Oduolowu, a 2024 Pulitzer Center Reporting Fellow, explores the protection and rehabilitation efforts of people and groups to ensure the conservation of mangroves in local coastal communities.