How mechanics, youths make money from Lagos floods

Recently, the torrential rains that flooded Nigeria’s commercial capital and brought disaster on residents, also brought relief to the sweltering heat in the city, as well as introduced business opportunities that mitigated losses. The flood left submerged homes behind, crippled businesses, damaged vehicles and introduced heartbreaking stories of lives disrupted in a matter of hours. […]

Recently, the torrential rains that flooded Nigeria’s commercial capital and brought disaster on residents, also brought relief to the sweltering heat in the city, as well as introduced business opportunities that mitigated losses.

The flood left submerged homes behind, crippled businesses, damaged vehicles and introduced heartbreaking stories of lives disrupted in a matter of hours. However, in the moment of chaos and loss, business opportunities emerged and many victims found consolation.

As floodwaters swept through major roads and neighborhoods, from Victoria Island, Lekki to Gbagada, Mushin, Isashi, Ijanikin, Ojo, Ajegunle, Egbeda, Agege and Okota, the city wore two contrasting faces.

While thousands mourned the destruction of property acquired over the years, others seized the moment to earn income.

The morning of last Sunday began like every other rainy day. Dark clouds gathered over Lagos before a torrential downpour turned streets into rivers and highways into parking lots. Within hours, vehicles were trapped in rising waters, homes were inundated and commercial activities came to a standstill.

 

Youths take advantage

Meanwhile, while tears flowed, dreams shattered, thousands counted their losses, others found opportunity in adversity and in the midst of the pains of others.

At major flood flashpoints, groups of young men gathered with wheelbarrows, wooden planks and ropes, offering rescue services to stranded motorists and earning a living.

“We started early because we knew that cars would get stuck. We charged between N5,000 and N20,000, depending on the size of the vehicle,” one of the vehicle pushers said with a grin.

“Desperate motorists who were unable to restart their vehicles willingly paid to have them pushed to dry ground. We were not cheating anyone.

“We were providing service. Without us, many cars would still be stranded,” Ibrahim, a cart pusher insisted.

At the Trade Fair area of Ojo, many teenagers carried traders across the flooded Mile 2-Badagry expressway on their backs, ensuring they reached dry land without soaking their clothes.

“Some paid N500, others N1,000. It may not be much but it helped us feed to ourselves,” one of the teenagers rendering service said.

Commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators also enjoyed brisk business as transport fares surged on routes still accessible despite the flooding.

Roadside food vendors, sachet water sellers, umbrella hawkers and raincoat merchants equally recorded increased patronage from commuters trapped in an endless traffic.

Also, vehicle mechanics worked almost without rest. “Our workshop is full. Many drivers ignored the warnings and entered deep water. Some engines will require complete replacement,” a mechanic in Oshodi said while inspecting another flood-damaged engine.

Tow truck operators also reported one of their busiest days in months, moving stalled vehicles from flooded roads to repair workshops across the city.

Even those benefitting financially admitted that the situation was bittersweet.

“We don’t pray for disasters, but when floods happen, it is our opportunity to earn a living. Tomorrow there may be no work again,” a wheelbarrow operator said.

‘Flood comes with work’ Interestingly, for a group of street urchins and unemployed youths, the floods however, marks the beginning of an unexpected business season.

At flood-prone spots along Ago Palace Way, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Gbagada, Oshodi, Egbeda, Ajegunle and Maryland, dozens of young men wait patiently for the rains to intensify.

Armed with nothing than their physical strength, they spring into action when vehicles become stranded in floodwaters.

“Once the rain starts, we know work has come,” said 22-year-old Sefiu who claimed to have spent the last three rainy seasons pushing broken-down vehicles out of flooded roads.

“On a good day, I make between N1,000 and N5,000, but on flood days, I earn over N15,000 before nightfall.”

For him, charges depend on the size of the vehicle, the depth of the flood and the distance pushed.

“For small cars we collect between N5,000 and N10,000. SUVs cost between N10,000 and N20,000 because they are heavier. Sometimes we work as a team of four or five, and share the money.”

Nearby, 19-year-old Bodunde said flood days often bring in more money than weeks of casual labour.

“There are days I go home with N20,000 after sharing with my friends. On normal days, I struggle to make N3,000 or N5,000 doing odd jobs.”

Another youth, who identified himself simply as Mojeed, described the work as risky but worthwhile.

“We enter dirty floodwater for hours. Sometimes there are broken bottles, sharp metals or open drains hidden beneath the water. But we have no choice. This is how we survive.”

Some motorists initially complain about the charges, he admitted, but desperation often changes their minds.

“When a car is trapped in the flood and water is entering the engine, one doesn’t have much options. It’s either you wait for a tow truck that may take hours or you pay us to push it to safety.”

“We help commercial buses, trucks and even delivery vans,” another youth added. “Anybody whose vehicle gets stuck is our customer.”

The boom extends beyond vehicle pushers. Teenagers earn money carrying commuters across flooded roads on their backs or helping them navigate submerged walkways.

“We charge between N500 and N1,500 per person depending on the water level,” said one of the youths. “Office workers don’t want to arrive at work soaked.”

While their earnings offer temporary relief from unemployment, many acknowledged the irony of profiting from another person’s pains.

“We don’t pray for floods,” Seyi said quietly. “People lose property and spend money fixing their cars. But when the floods come, this is our opportunity to feed ourselves. If there are no floods, there is no business for us.”

“Once the rain is heavy, we know that today will be a good day,” said 24-year-old Wasiu, a battery charger at Mafoluku-Oshodi.

He explained that it becomes difficult for vehicles to start once flood water enters the engine.

“On an a day when there is no rain, I don’t make more than N2,000 or N3,000. But on flood days, I can go home with between N20,000 and M25,000” he added.

Speaking further Mojeed said every flood creates its own economy.

“The deeper the water, the more vehicles get trapped. Some drivers think they can cross, but halfway through the engine goes off. That’s when they begin looking for us.”

Standing beside a flooded section of the road at Tolu area of Ajegunle, another youth, Kunle, said they often work in teams because of the weight of some vehicles.

“Our targets are usually “tokumbo vehicles coming from the Tin-Can Port.

“For a small saloon car, we charge between N5,000 and N10,000. Jeeps cost between N15,000 and N25,000 because they are heavier. If the owner is in a hurry, he doesn’t argue too much.”

Twenty-year-old Chinedu described the work as physically exhausting.

“Sometimes we push vehicles for almost one kilometre before reaching dry ground. By evening, your hands and legs are aching. But when you remember there is money waiting, you keep going.”

He said they face dangers that most people never notice.

“There are open gutters hidden inside the floodwater,” one of them explained.

“You can suddenly step into one and disappear. We have also been injured by broken bottles, sharp metals and other objects washed into the water.”

Despite the risks, they return every time heavy rain falls.

“If we hear on the radio that there will be heavy rain, we already know where to position ourselves,” another youth admitted with a smile.

Beyond pushing vehicles, the flood also creates other income streams.

Some of the youths carry commuters on their backs or escort them through submerged streets.

Asked how they feel making money from other people’s hardship, the group fell silent for a moment.

“We don’t celebrate anybody’s loss,” Chinedu finally replied.

“We know what it means to struggle because we are struggling too. We simply take advantage of the opportunity to earn an honest living. If there were jobs for us, many of us wouldn’t be standing in floodwater all day.”

As another dark cloud gathered over the Lagos skyline, the youths looked hopefully toward the road, scanning for the next stranded vehicle.

For them, every heavy rainfall is more than a weather event. It is a rare chance to earn enough in a single day to feed, pay rent or support younger siblings.

In a city where survival often depends on seizing every opportunity, floodwaters have become an unlikely source of livelihood, even as they continue to bring heartbreak to thousands of other Lagos residents.

 

The devastation

For residents of Isashi in Iba Local Council Development Area, survival became the only priority.

Mrs Felicia Mba, a mother of four whose bungalow was submerged by floodwater said, “We didn’t think it would get this bad. We first noticed water coming into the sitting room; and before long, every room was flooded. We tried to move our television, refrigerator and mattresses but the water rose too quickly. We left with only our children and few bags.”

When the flood finally receded, it left mud, debris behind and shattered hopes.

“Our furniture is damaged. Our children’s books are gone. Even important documents were soaked. We don’t know where to from,” one of the victims said.

The same story echoed across several flood-prone communities.

In Mushin, traders watched helplessly as floodwater invaded their shops, destroying food items, clothing and electronics.

“I just received fresh supplies two days ago. Everything is soaked. I borrowed money to stock this shop. I honestly don’t know how I will recover,” Matthew Igwe, a shop owner in the area lamented while separating damaged cartons from those that could still be salvaged.

For motorists, the flood became an expensive lesson. Along Ago Palace Way in Okota, the Lekki-Epe expressway, Ikorodu Road and parts of the Apapa-Oshodi expressway, dozens of vehicles stalled after drivers attempted to navigate flooded roads.

“My mechanic said water entered the engine. The repair will cost almost what I earn in several months. I was only trying to get to work,” one frustrated car owner said while waiting beside his disabled vehicle along the Charlie Boy area of Gbagada.

Across Gbagada, Maryland, Ojota and Surulere, office workers abandoned buses and walked through knee-deep water after public transportation became scarce.

Also, many businesses opened late as employees struggled to reach their workplaces.

Restaurant owners, operators of pharmacies and supermarkets reported heavy losses after customers stayed away throughout the day.

Chinyere Nwachukwu, who owns a restaurant at Aguda said: “We also had to throw away perishable food because there was no electricity for several hours. So it wasn’t just the flood; it was a complete loss of business.”

Parents described the emotional toll of seeing years of sacrifice washed away.

Fadipe Ojo said, “We are already battling inflation. School fees are due. Food prices keep rising. Now, flood has destroyed our furniture and electrical appliances. It is difficult to remain hopeful.”

LG  chairman’s visit to flood affected  communities

Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman of Olorunda Local Council Development Area, Hon. Ajose Peter Kumayon, recently, visited the flood-ravaged Obele-Esepe and Ibiye communities to assess the extent of damage caused by the recent torrential rainfall and fast-track emergency intervention for affected residents. The visit was aimed at determining the immediate palliative measures needed to restore movement while permanent solutions are being planned.

Speaking during the inspection, Ajose said he deemed it necessary to personally assess the situation and ensure urgent action to ease the hardship residents are facing.

He disclosed that temporary palliative works would commence immediately to make the roads accessible during the rainy season, while a comprehensive reconstruction of the drainage system would be undertaken after the rains as a lasting solution.

The flooding has left both communities largely cut off from the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. In Obele-Esepe, residents have resorted to using canoes, paying transport fares to cross to the Ile-Epo area of Araromi-Ale due to the inundated access road.

Ajose assured residents that his administration, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, remains committed to delivering both immediate relief and permanent infrastructure that will prevent a recurrence of the flooding.

 

Govt’s efforts

Reacting to the flood situation, the Lagos State Government attributed the widespread flooding to unusually heavy rainfall, combined with high Atlantic Ocean and lagoon tides that slowed the discharge of storm water.

Officials also blamed blocked drainage channels, indiscriminate waste disposal and illegal construction on drainage setbacks for the worsening the situation.

Weekend Trust reports that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has since approved the dredging of 28 additional primary drainage channels as part of efforts to improve flood management while emergency officials continue to monitor vulnerable communities.

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency has also warned residents of riverine communities, including Badagry, Epe, Ikorodu and Isheri to remain vigilant as the rainy season intensifies.

But for families now cleaning mud from their living rooms, drying photographs under the sun and calculating the cost of replacing destroyed household items, government’s assurances offer little immediate comfort.

Every damaged sofa, soaked school uniform and broken television tells the story of years of sacrifice erased in a single afternoon.

But amid the heartbreak, Lagosians have continued to display the resilience for which the city is known.

Our correspondent also reports that neighbours helped one another to rescue belongings and strangers pushed vehicles from floodwaters without expecting payment.

Volunteers directed traffic through submerged roads. Families also shared food and temporary shelter with those displaced.

The flood also exposed not only the weaknesses in urban infrastructure but the enduring strength of the human spirit.

In Lagos, where survival often demands resilience, one person’s tragedy becomes another’s livelihood.

Behind every flooded street lies a family trying to rebuild, a trader searching for fresh capital, a motorist facing unexpected repair bills and a child wondering why the rain carried away everything they called home.

As the clouds gather once again over Africa’s largest city, one question lingers in the minds of many residents: Will  Lagos ever be prepared for the rains?