Once the rain starts, everything changes. Roads flood. Traffic doubles. Transport becomes chaos. A journey that should take 20 minutes suddenly feels like a life decision.

Over time, I’ve learned that fighting Lagos on a rainy day only makes things worse. So I do a few things differently.

First, I remove urgency from my plans. Rain in Lagos is not the day to rush. Appointments can wait. Meetings can be rescheduled. I drive slower, walk more carefully, and accept that safety matters more than speed.

I also plan my routes better. I avoid roads I already know will flood and stick to familiar paths, even if they’re longer. Getting stuck in waterlogged traffic is far worse than taking an extra turn.

Public transport days require extra patience. I expect delays and factor them in mentally so I’m not frustrated before I even leave the house. If I can stay indoors, I do.

Most importantly, I lower my expectations. Rainy days in Lagos are unpredictable. Once you accept that, the stress reduces.

Lagos doesn’t pause for the rain, but on days like this, I’ve learned to move slower and choose safety over speed.