Evaluation of Community-Based Coping and Adaptive Strategies to Flooding in Flood-Prone Areas in Ilorin, Nigeria

Flooding remains one of the most persistent environmental challenges affecting urban centres in Nigeria, especially rapidly growing cities with inadequate infrastructure and weak land-use control. This study evaluated community-based coping mechanisms and adaptive strategies to flooding in flood-prone areas of Ilorin, Nigeria. It examined residents’ experiences of flooding, identified the major causes and impacts of flood events, and assessed the effectiveness of coping strategies adopted by local communities. Data were obtained from primary and secondary sources. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires, oral interviews, and field observations, while secondary data came from relevant official publications. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 250 respondents from three flood-prone communities in Ilorin metropolis: Abdulwahab Folawiyo Road, Amilegbe/Ojagboro, and Abattoir along Sobi Barracks. Socio-economic characteristics were analyzed using frequencies and percentages, while an index termed Severity of flood Index (SFI) and Effectiveness of Coping Mechanisms Index (ECI) were developed. Findings showed that 65.8% of respondents had experienced flooding in the past year. Major causes identified were heavy rainfall (55.4%), indiscriminate waste disposal (35.8%), blocked drainage systems (26.5%), and development on floodplains (17.3%). The most severe impacts were on agricultural production (SFI=4.77), health (SFI =3.96), transportation (SFI=3.93), roads (SFI=3.68), and household property (SFI=3.62). Common coping measures included sandbags (35.4%), drainage clearing (20.0%), temporary protective structures (15.8%), and channelization of watercourses (9.6%). Protective structures had the highest effectiveness index (ECI=2.11), followed by drainage sediment removal (ECI = 2.04) and sand-filled sacks (ECI=1.89). The study concludes that community-based strategies significantly reduce flood impacts and recommends stronger institutional support, improved drainage infrastructure, effective land-use control, and integration of local adaptation practices into formal flood management policies.