Flood Resilient Housing in Flood Prone Environment of Rivers State

Flooding has emerged as one of the most persistent environmental challenges affecting housing development and urban sustainability in Nigeria's Niger Delta region, with Rivers State experiencing recurrent flooding that threatens housing quality, safety, and long-term sustainability. This study examined flood-resilient housing strategies in flood-prone environments of Rivers State, specifically focusing on five communities: Diobu (Mile 1-3), Ogbunabali, Borikiri, Rumueme, and Rumuola. The study was anchored on three theoretical frameworks: Pressure and Release (PAR) Theory, Resilience Theory, and Human Adaptation Theory, providing a comprehensive lens for understanding vulnerability, resilience, and adaptive housing strategies. A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining quantitative data from 390 household questionnaires with qualitative data from 10 key informant interviews with building professionals and government officials. Physical observations using structured checklists complemented self-reported data. The findings revealed that 77.7% of respondents experience flooding at least annually, with poor drainage systems (mean = 4.62), heavy rainfall intensity (mean = 4.58), and blocked drainage channels (mean = 4.51) identified as primary causes. Structural damage to walls and foundations affected 68.2% of housing units, while 61.5% reported damage to household belongings. Existing housing design practices demonstrated critical deficiencies, with only 23.1% of buildings achieving floor elevations above the recommended 0.6 metres, 38.5% having functional drainage integration, and incorporation of flood-resilient features ranging from 8.5% to 31.5%. Lack of awareness (36.4%) and higher construction costs (25.1%) were the main barriers to adopting flood-resilient design. Awareness of advanced resilience techniques remained below 20%, while adoption favoured reactive strategies such as moving belongings (74.9%) over permanent structural adaptations like floor raising (s28.5%) despite high effectiveness ratings for the latter. Community variations showed Diobu exhibiting the poorest resilience indicators, with lowest floor elevations (0.38m) and highest structural damage (76.8%), while Borikiri and Rumuola demonstrated relatively better conditions. Key informant interviews revealed four major themes constraining flood-resilient housing: weak regulatory enforcement, inadequate technical capacity among local builders, economic constraints and affordability challenges, and the need for integrated approaches combining design innovation with institutional reform. The study concludes that flood-resilient housing in Rivers State requires addressing not only technical design deficiencies but also the institutional, economic, and social dimensions that shape housing development decisions. Recommendations include prioritising drainage infrastructure investment, developing and enforcing minimum flood-resilient building standards, implementing capacity-building programmes for builders and residents, and establishing incentive schemes for low-income households incorporating approved resilience features. These findings contribute to understanding flood-resilient housing in a developing country context and provide evidence-based guidance for policy formulation and sustainable housing delivery in flood-prone environments.