Roads, food and trade as the rains come

As the 2025 rainy season gathers force, Nigeria again finds itself grappling with familiar threats – bad roads, flooding, and disrupted businesses. Each year, the start of rains casts a harsh spotlight on the weakness of Nigeria’s transport infrastructure, most notably the 17,000 kilometres of federal roads that serve as the country’s commercial arteries. From the farmlands of Benue State to the bustling ports of Lagos and Onne, these roads are important for moving people, food, goods, and services. Yet, the rains repeatedly turn them into impassable stretches of potholes, erosion gullies, and muddy traps.

“With petrol prices currently between N880 and N890/litre in many locations due to subsidy removal and naira devaluation, adopting CNG could significantly cut haulage costs, provided that the road networks are reliable enough to support an expanded logistics chain.”

This year, the stakes are even higher. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) in its 2024 Seasonal Climate Prediction warned of intensified rainfall and flooding in over 30 states, including key agricultural hubs. Already, in May and early June, flash floods have been reported in parts of Lagos, Bayelsa, Delta, Niger, and Taraba states, submerging roads, homes, and displacing communities. On May 28, 2025, flooding caused by heavy rainfall submerged the market town of Mokwa in Niger State, causing severe damage. Officials said the floods killed more than 200 people and confirmed that over 1,000 were still missing. At least 121 others were injured, and the flooding destroyed 2,000 homes.

These events are not isolated incidents but recurring disasters that compound Nigeria’s existing economic problems – slowing trade, increasing transport costs, and worsening food inflation, which hit 23.71 percent in April 2025, according to the NBS.

In this context, road infrastructure is not just a development issue, it is a matter of survival and economic stability. The rainy season exposes the true cost of decades of neglect, corruption, and bureaucratic inaction that have stunted progress in building resilient and weather-proof roads.

However, there is some movement, although slow, on the part of the government. In November 2023, President Bola Tinubu approved emergency repairs for over 260 critical road projects across the country, valued at N217 billion. Minister of Works, David Umahi, is spearheading the initiative. Some of the key projects include resurfacing the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, fixing the collapsed Shendam-Lafia and Enugu bridges, and reconstructing parts of the Onitsha-Owerri Road and the Benin-Sapele axis. Also, 17 severely damaged points along the East-West Road, some of which were destroyed during the tragic 2022 floods, are slated for urgent attention.

Read also: Bad roads: Residents express fear ahead of rainy season

While these steps are commendable, they are arriving against a backdrop of mounting climate risks and years of compounded damage. Many of these roads are not only overused and poorly maintained, but they are also constructed without factoring in modern drainage and erosion control systems, making them especially vulnerable during heavy rains.

Additionally, there have been delays in the implementation and completion of roadworks. For example, the East-West Road (Section III) connecting Port Harcourt to the Onne Port Junction remains in various stages of disrepair, despite being crucial for the movement of imported food and petroleum products. Umahi’s plan to fragment large contracts and award smaller segments to multiple contractors could speed up execution and improve quality, but such restructuring must be accompanied by transparent oversight and community engagement.

The challenges are further compounded by the dire condition of many rural access roads. In agricultural states like Benue, Niger, Kebbi, and Plateau, farmers often find themselves cut off from markets during the rains. This not only leads to post-harvest losses but also contributes to rising food prices, creating hardship for both farmers and consumers. According to the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), floods in 2022 and 2023 led to losses of hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland, and 2025 is poised to follow a similar trajectory if preemptive actions are not taken.

The intersection of flooding, poor roads, and trade is especially harmful in urban centres, where drainage systems are either inadequate or non-existent. Lagos, for example, has already recorded multiple cases of commuters stranded for hours due to flooded highways, affecting productivity, inflating logistics costs, and reducing overall economic output.

To cushion this, state governments like those in Edo, Delta, Ogun, and Rivers, have taken initiative by rehabilitating particularly bad federal roads within their jurisdictions. This trend of subnational intervention is both necessary and encouraging, but it must not absolve the Federal Government of its responsibilities. Besides, coordination between states and the federal ministry is vital to avoid duplicated efforts or conflicting standards in road design.

Beyond physical roads, the government’s push for a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) policy could offer long-term relief from transport-related inflation. With petrol prices currently between N880 and N890/litre in many locations due to subsidy removal and naira devaluation, adopting CNG could significantly cut haulage costs, provided that the road networks are reliable enough to support an expanded logistics chain.

As Nigeria stands at the point of infrastructure decay and climate disruption, it must adopt a more resilient, forward-looking approach. Emergency repairs must be followed by long-term reconstruction strategies that include durable materials, climate-smart designs, and regular maintenance schedules. Likewise, flood mitigation must be treated with the same urgency as road rehabilitation. Proper drainage, waste management, and urban planning must accompany any talk of road infrastructure, or the cycle of collapse will only repeat itself.

As the rains descend across Nigeria, the nation’s roads once again bear the weight of systemic failure. But they also hold the promise of redemption. If the current momentum is sustained, with transparency, urgency, and climate foresight, Nigeria can chart a path toward safer roads, cheaper food, and more resilient trade. The season of rain need not be a season of ruin.