Urban Sustainability: Strengthening coastal resilience in Warri City, Nigeria
- Earth Observation (EO) data enhances risk assessment and urban resilience in flood-prone coastal regions.
- West Africa’s coastal areas contribute significantly to the economy but face increasing threats from climate change, urbanisation and erosion.
- The partnership between ESA’s GDA Urban Sustainability activity and the World Bank supports data-driven decision-making in Nigeria’s Warri City.
- EO-based mapping and monitoring tools help local authorities assess risks, allocate resources and improve resilience strategies.
Location
Warri City, Nigeria
Institutions
- Earth Observation (EO) data enhances risk assessment and urban resilience in flood-prone coastal regions.
- West Africa’s coastal areas contribute significantly to the economy but face increasing threats from climate change, urbanisation and erosion.
- The partnership between ESA’s GDA Urban Sustainability activity and the World Bank supports data-driven decision-making in Nigeria’s Warri City.
- EO-based mapping and monitoring tools help local authorities assess risks, allocate resources and improve resilience strategies.
Location
Warri City, Nigeria
Institutions
Coastal cities like Warri are on the front line of climate impacts. Rising sea levels, land subsidence and unchecked urbanisation expose communities to frequent and intense flooding.
The water extent and frequency data from 2022 reveals which areas of Warri are most consistently waterlogged, vital information for targeting flood defences and early warnings.
Without interventions, the economic and social consequences could undermine decades of development.
Location
Warri City, Nigeria
Institutions
Coastal cities like Warri are on the front line of climate impacts. Rising sea levels, land subsidence and unchecked urbanisation expose communities to frequent and intense flooding.
The water extent and frequency data from 2022 reveals which areas of Warri are most consistently waterlogged, vital information for targeting flood defences and early warnings.
Without interventions, the economic and social consequences could undermine decades of development.
Location
Warri City, Nigeria
Institutions
To respond proactively, ESA’s GDA Urban Sustainability consortium joined forces with the World Bank’s West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) programme, focusing on Warri.
EO-based land use mapping provides a spatial overview of where critical infrastructure, informal settlements, and green areas are located.
This helps identify exposure hotspots and develop smarter urban plans that reduce flood risks and preserve protective ecosystems.
Our goal is to turn complex geospatial data into intuitive tools that anyone can use. By visualising ground motion, land cover and flood exposure in one place, local planners in Warri can make informed choices that keep communities safer.
Marco Bianchi,
Senior Engineer at TRE ALTAMIRA
Location
Warri City, Nigeria
Institutions
To respond proactively, ESA’s GDA Urban Sustainability consortium joined forces with the World Bank’s West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) programme, focusing on Warri.
EO-based land use mapping provides a spatial overview of where critical infrastructure, informal settlements, and green areas are located.
This helps identify exposure hotspots and develop smarter urban plans that reduce flood risks and preserve protective ecosystems.
Location
Warri City, Nigeria
Institutions
A comprehensive EO suite was developed to guide urban resilience in Warri. Ground displacement data from 2018–2022 identifies subsiding zones that are especially vulnerable to tidal flooding and drainage failures.
Coupled with flood frequency and land cover mapping, this information feeds into an online risk assessment tool co-developed with local planners.
The platform helps monitor hazards, direct investment, and track resilience outcomes in real time.
When you bring together satellite insights and local expertise, you start to see urban resilience differently. It’s not just about reacting to disasters but understanding risks before they happen and giving decision-makers the clarity to act early.
Giulia Costella,
Manager, Space and Climate at Caribou
Location
Warri City, Nigeria
Institutions
A comprehensive EO suite was developed to guide urban resilience in Warri. Ground displacement data from 2018–2022 identifies subsiding zones that are especially vulnerable to tidal flooding and drainage failures.
Coupled with flood frequency and land cover mapping, this information feeds into an online risk assessment tool co-developed with local planners.
The platform helps monitor hazards, direct investment, and track resilience outcomes in real time.
Location
Warri City, Nigeria
Institutions
EO impact key takeaways
- EO technology equips cities with actionable data to manage flood risks and urban expansion.
- Regular monitoring through satellite imagery supports long-term climate adaptation strategies.
- Nigeria’s commitment to integrating EO into planning paves the way for national-scale implementation.
- Scalable solutions like these can revolutionise risk assessment across West Africa’s vulnerable coastal cities.
With EO-driven tools, Warri City and beyond are better equipped to navigate climate challenges, safeguarding communities and fostering sustainable urban growth.
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