Lagos Turns to Trees as Rising Temperatures Put Climate Resilience in Focus

As global temperatures continue to climb, Lagos is intensifying efforts to protect itself from one of the most pressing threats facing modern cities: extreme heat.

The urgency is clear. The United Nations has identified Lagos among 50 cities worldwide with the potential to experience temperatures of up to 50°C. Adding to the concern, the World Meteorological Organisation reported that 2024 was the warmest year on record, with temperatures exceeding 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels, while 2025 ranks as the third warmest year recorded.

Local data points in the same direction. According to Benson Levi, an Assistant Chief Meteorologist with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), records from 1991 to 2025 show a steady increase in Lagos' minimum average temperatures.

"The minimum temperature we are recording in Lagos is on the rise. It has not declined over the years," he said.

In response, the Lagos State Government is expanding its climate adaptation strategy through a mix of environmental action and public participation. At the 2026 World Environment Day celebration held at Johnson Jakande Tinubu Park, Ikeja, Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Olalekan Rotimi-Akodu, unveiled a N2.5 million tree-planting prize under a new initiative called "Me and My Tree."

Participants will receive free seedlings and care for them over a year, with the best-performing tree earning the cash reward. The state will also plant 500 trees as part of the celebration themed "Inspired by Nature for Climate, For Our Future."

Rotimi-Akodu warned that climate change, urbanisation and population growth are accelerating heat levels, reducing vegetation and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. He noted that the effects are already visible through growing cases of heat stress, dehydration, heat stroke and respiratory complications.

Beyond tree planting, Lagos is investing in Bus Rapid Transit services, rail and water transport to reduce emissions and traffic congestion. The state has also planted more than seven million trees since 2009 through the combined efforts of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency, schools, communities, businesses and civil society organisations.

To strengthen public health resilience, Lagos has developed a Health Adaptation Plan for 2026-2030 focused on disease surveillance, climate-informed planning and improved healthcare access for vulnerable residents.

The state is also joining the United Nations Environment Programme's 50 Cities at 50°C initiative under the banner "50 Cities at 50°C: Lagos Rising Against the Urban Heat Island."

Speaking virtually, Dr Eleni Myrivili, Global Chief Heat Officer for the United Nations Environment Programme, UN-Habitat and the Atlantic Council's Climate Resilience Centre, described extreme heat as one of the defining urban challenges of this era and urged cities to develop solutions tailored to their realities.

For Lagos, the strategy is increasingly straightforward: build resilience today by expanding green spaces, improving infrastructure and encouraging residents to become active partners in creating a cooler, healthier city.