Lagos on the Edge: Tracking Coastal Erosion and Ocean Surge from Space

From Victoria Island to the Lekki corridor and the Niger Delta, Nigeria's coastline is dynamic. Ocean surges periodically flood beachfront communities, and parts of the shoreline are retreating, while major new roads and estates are being built along the Atlantic coast.

What drives coastal risk - Natural erosion from waves and longshore currents. - Sand mining and changes to sediment supply. - Low-lying land and subsidence. - Rising sea levels and stronger storms.

Measuring a moving coast Satellite archives going back decades make it possible to extract shorelines automatically and calculate how fast each stretch of coast is moving. Combined with elevation models and tide data, this shows which assets are exposed to surges.

Uses for decision-makers 1. Infrastructure siting: keep roads and utilities out of retreating zones, or design for them. 2. Real estate due diligence: check shoreline trends before buying or financing. 3. Coastal protection: prioritise groynes, revetments or nature-based solutions such as mangroves where they're most needed. 4. Insurance: price coastal exposure fairly.

Getting started A shoreline-change study for a specific stretch of coast can be delivered quickly using open satellite data. StrikeClimate provides coastal-risk reports and ongoing monitoring for developers, states and investors.