US EditionNigeria: Demolishing Makoko Shantytown Causes Thousands of People to Move to Lagos · Global Voices
Lagos government says demolitions aim to prevent disasters and enforce safety, displacing families near power lines while pursuing urban regeneration and sustainable development.
- On Sunday in Lagos, the Lagos State Government defended demolitions in Makoko and other waterfront communities as necessary interventions to protect lives and property, in a statement signed by Gbenga Omotoso, Commissioner for Information and Strategy.
- Enforcing planning rules, officials said the demolitions targeted structures beneath high-tension power lines and waterways after safety assessments, with Gbolahan Oki confirming laws require buildings at least 250 metres away and engagement lasting over five years.
- Residents of Makoko said the demolitions began about three days before Christmas Day 2025, reporting deaths including a newborn, school closures, halted church attendance, and families sleeping on boats.
- Olajide Babatunde urged residents to comply with planning regulations to prevent conflicts, while critics highlight no concrete resettlement plan and note relocation costs between �19.5 billion and �175 billion for 50,000 families.
- With Makoko stretching over 50 hectares, critics warn land reclamation benefits elites and risks ecosystems as civil society groups HOMEF, CAPPA and CEE-HOPE Nigeria condemned evictions.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Nigeria: Makoko Demolition - the Environmental, Human and Economic Costs of Urbanisation
Makoko, one of Lagos' oldest waterfront settlements, is once again at the centre of a contentious urban renewal drive that has seen homes demolished and families displaced. Officially justified as a safety measure around high-tension power lines, the exercise has revived long-standing concerns about the human, environmental and economic consequences of rapid urbanisation in Nigeria's commercial capital, and the fate of vulnerable communities cau…
Lagos govt defends Makoko demolitions, gives reasons
The Lagos State Government has defended its recent demolition exercise in Makoko and other waterfront communities. According to the Lagos govt, the actions were taken to protect lives and property while promoting environmental safety and sustainable urban development. The government’s position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos and signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, following an engage…
In Nigeria, the brutal demolition of the famous Makoko slum in Lagos is denounced by civil society organizations. Several tens or even hundreds of thousands of people have reportedly lost their homes since the beginning of these déguerpissement operations, which began in December. Accused of acting outside any legal framework, the Lagos state government assures that it is not "a punitive operation" or an "anti-poor" project.
‘They Told Us to Leave, Nowhere to Go’ — Lagos Residents Speak Out on Demolitions
Residents of Lagos waterfront communities, particularly in Makoko, have spoken out against government-led demolitions that have destroyed homes, schools, churches, and businesses with little warning. Many families say they were given no guidance on where to relocate, leaving them displaced and struggling to survive.Evangelist Isaac, 75, recounted the chaos. “They said we should clear buildings 30 metres from the power lines, so we did. But then …
Makoko demolition: Outcry as families sleep in canoes, struggle for survival after forced evictions
Makoko, a historic floating fishing community in Lagos, has been thrown into crisis following an ongoing demolition exercise by the Lagos State Government. Thousands of residents, many of them women, children, widows and the elderly, have been rendered homeless, with families now sleeping inside canoes, under open skies and beside the lagoon. Entire rows of […]
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 75% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
