Cambridge and UNILAG Launch Heat Research in Lagos

A consortium led by researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of Lagos (UNILAG) will conduct a three-year research project to identify health risks associated with extreme heat in ten settlements in Lagos. This initiative, named the Hotsteppers Project, is funded by Wellcome Trust and involves collaboration with the Lagos State Government, Lagos Urban Development Initiative (LUDI), and Lagos Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (LAMATA).

Prof. Tolullah Oni, Principal Investigator and Chair of Global Public Health and Sustainable Urban Development at the University of Cambridge, stated that the project aims to highlight the connection between heat and health, focusing on transit hubs and existing cooling assets.

Co-Principal Investigator, Professor Peter Elias from UNILAG, emphasized the need for heat adaptation solutions, noting that previous climate adaptation plans often overlooked heat. The project seeks to create low-cost interventions to reduce heat exposure and inform future infrastructure projects in Lagos.