Quantifying Socio-Economic and Environmental Impacts of Flood Risk and Management Strategies in Coastal Cities of Africa : A Study of Nigeria and South Africa

Coastal cities in Sub-Saharan Africa have experienced frequent flooding with severe consequences on livelihood, critical infrastructure and ecosystem in recent years. Furthermore, a rapidly changing climate and unplanned urbanisation pose severe threats to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To buck this trend, it is imperative to critically quantify the impacts of frequent flooding from a socio-economic and environmental perspective and distil the broader implication for smart, resilient and sustainable methods of managing coastal flooding. However, the nature and effectiveness of flood risk management approaches in African coastal cities specifically remain understudied. Using techniques inspired by the tradition of a mixed-method approach, this paper examined the socio-economic and environmental impacts of flood risk and reduction strategies in coastal cities of Nigeria and South Africa. A statistically significant increase was found in the frequency of flooding in coastal cities and the consequent loss of human life and economic resources. Furthermore, the study found that construction and clearing of drainages are the most effective flood risk management, as stakeholders struggle to work collaboratively in the cities. Drawing lessons from successful coastal cities worldwide, we suggest possible pathways to overcome the challenges of frequent flooding in coastal African towns and implement intersectoral coordination to enhance disaster preparedness and strengthen preventive action against flood risks, thereby supporting resilience and sustainable coastal African cities