One year after floods triggered a cholera outbreak that killed 29 people, Lagos has recorded no new cases, a turnaround officials of the state attribute to targeted hygiene training for informal food vendors and waste workers.

Between April 2025 and February 2026, the state recorded no cholera outbreak following a 12-month emergency intervention that trained more than 450 frontline vendors and waste workers and sensitised over 1,000 residents across eight flood-prone local government areas.

The project was implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), with funding from the Government of Japan, in collaboration with the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

From outbreak to action

In June 2024, Lagos recorded hundreds of suspected cholera cases during heavy flooding, exposing weaknesses in sanitation, waste disposal and hygiene awareness in densely populated communities.

At the project completion event, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the outbreak underscored the urgent need for preventive environmental measures.

He described the intervention as a proactive response targeting informal food and water vendors and waste workers, groups he called “critical in breaking the chain of disease transmission.”

“Between April 2025, when we commenced the capacity-building campaign, and now, Lagos State has not recorded any new cholera outbreak,” he said.

UNIDO Project Manager, Nahomi Nishio explained that the initiative focused on four core components: training informal food and water vendors, training waste workers, distributing emergency consumables and conducting awareness campaigns.

Project data showed that 223 food and water vendors including 155 women received hygiene and disease-prevention training, surpassing the initial target of 200. A total of 102 waste workers were trained, exceeding the target of 100.

The intervention also distributed 300 rapid test kits, 300 water purification kits and 100 sets of personal protective equipment. Awareness seminars reached 1,054 residents across Ikorodu, Alimosho, Lagos Island, Ojo, Kosofe, Lagos Mainland, Badagry and Ikeja.

UNIDO Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Philbert Johnson, an Ambassador, said the intervention strengthened emergency response capacity while protecting livelihoods in the informal economy.

“When informal vendors and waste workers are equipped with knowledge, skills and tools, we protect supply chains and reinforce economic resilience,” he said.

Environmental protection as health investment

The General Manager of LASEPA, Babatunde Ajayi, framed cholera primarily as an environmental failure rather than purely a medical issue.

He said contaminated water samples collected in parts of the state revealed faecal matter and disease-causing organisms, reinforcing the link between poor sanitation and public health crises.

“Spending one dollar in environmental protection saves 40 dollars in health spending,” he said, arguing that stronger investment in environmental management would reduce disease burden.

Mr Ajayi noted that Lagos, with about 20 million residents, allocated roughly $2.5 million to environmental protection in 2025, a fraction of what major global cities commit.

Despite limited funding, he said the UNIDO-supported intervention demonstrated how targeted partnerships can yield measurable results.

Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Hideo Suzuki, said his country contributed $1.725 million to three cholera-related projects in Nigeria, including $225,000 for the Lagos intervention.

He referenced Japan’s own historical experience with cholera, recalling the 1858 outbreak that killed more than 30,000 people in Tokyo.

“Knowledge is our strongest shield,” he said, stressing that cholera deaths can be prevented through hygiene, isolation and clean water principles that remain relevant today.

Informal voices

For beneficiaries, the 12-month capacity building marked a shift from risk to resilience.

Informal food and water vendors and waste workers expressed gratitude, saying the training improved hygiene practices and workplace safety.

A food seller in Ikorodu, Oluwakemi Sobowale, said the programme improved her understanding of hygiene and food safety. She received gloves, wash buckets and other materials, which she now uses daily and has introduced to her workers.

“It was a very impactful project. We were trained on how to maintain proper hygiene at our individual places of work. As a local restaurant, I have made hand washing compulsory for everyone coming in and going out, and gloves are made available for my workers,” she said.

She urged that hygiene and cholera prevention awareness be extended to more residents to sustain progress.

Also, a waste worker in Alimosho, Olabode Adigun said the project provided boots, gloves and nose masks alongside training, which now support his work. He, however, called on the state government to improve conditions at waste dumpsites, describing some as poorly managed.

Shared responsibility, way forward

The Special Adviser to the State Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Oreoluwa Finnih, described flooding in Lagos as partly a geographical reality, as the coastal state lies at sea level.

She stressed that government action alone is insufficient without responsible citizen behaviour.

“The government can get to a certain level but the citizens must also take responsibility for what happens in their environment,” she said.

Ms Finnih linked the intervention to the state’s development agenda and the SDGs on health, clean water, climate action and partnerships.

The LASEPA boss disclosed the agency’s plans to cascade the training model to additional communities and expand partnerships to sustain gains.

He also cited ongoing drainage maintenance and flood control efforts, noting that more than 200 drainage projects had been awarded to reduce flash flooding and prevent water stagnation.

As the ceremony closed, officials described the intervention as proof that environmental reform backed by political will and international support, can halt recurring public health threats.