April 09, 2025
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has revealed that 58 persons died from Cholera within six months (January to July) in 2024 in Lagos state and insisted that combating cholera required the government with active involvement of every stakeholder.
The governor disclosed this on Tuesday at the inauguration ceremony and Inception meeting of the intervention project on emergency capacity building of the informal food and water vendors and waste workers in flood-affected Lagos to combat Cholera outbreaks.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab commended the Japanese government for funding the project to check Cholera outbreaks in Lagos and noted that in Nigeria, cholera remains a recurrent health crisis annually.
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“In 2021 alone, Nigeria recorded over 100,000 suspected cholera cases and more than 3,500 deaths across 32 states, a stark reminder of the urgency required to address this issue.“Lagos State, Nigeria’s largest urban center with a population exceeding 23 million (50.6% female), faces unique vulnerabilities due to rapid urbanization, poor water and sanitation infrastructure, and frequent flooding.
“In June 2024, heavy rainfall led to widespread flooding in areas such as Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Ikorodu, and Kosofe LGAs triggering a cholera outbreak that resulted in over 1,661 suspected cases, 70 confirmed cases, and 58 deaths by July. This was the largest cholera outbreak in Nigeria in 2024.”
Sanwo-Olu, said that flood-induced water contamination, poor hygiene awareness among informal vendors and waste workers, inadequate waste management overwhelmed by floods, and weak enforcement of public health regulations are key drivers of these recurring outbreaks and went further to commended the effort of some service providers
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“These individuals are frontline providers of essential services, yet they remain disproportionately vulnerable to cholera outbreaks due to their constant exposure to contaminated environments.“I commend the General Manager and the entire team at the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), alongside our esteemed partners at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), for championing this laudable project.
“I also extend my heartfelt appreciation to the Government of Japan for their invaluable support in advancing public health in Lagos. This collaboration exemplifies the power of partnerships in addressing pressing health challenges.”
