The Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has ordered the immediate suspension of all land reclamation projects across the state, citing widespread environmental violations and rising flood risks.
Reclamation projects—engineered efforts to create land from water bodies by filling them with sand, earth, or rocks—have expanded rapidly in Ikoyi, Lekki, Ajah, Victoria Island, Oworonshoki, Ikorodu, Ojo, Badagry, and other parts of Lagos.
In a statement signed on Thursday, Commissioner for the Environment Tokunbo Wahab said many of the projects are being executed without the mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approvals and drainage clearances.
Rising Concerns Over Flooding and Erosion
Wahab explained that unchecked reclamation poses significant environmental and social risks, including:
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Increased flooding and coastal erosion
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Disruption of livelihoods, particularly fishing
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Loss of wetlands and biodiversity
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Pollution and impaired water quality
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Constriction of Lagos lagoons and reduced water-carrying capacity
“With the low-lying topography of Lagos and its fragile ecosystem, the government cannot afford indiscriminate reclamation of lagoons, wetlands, and floodplains to continue unchecked,” Wahab warned.
Suspension and Compliance Notice
The Ministry’s directive affects both approved and unapproved projects.
“All reclamation projects across Lagos are hereby suspended immediately. Approved projects must be resubmitted for documentation and monitoring, while all ongoing and intending ones must undergo a fresh Environmental Impact Assessment with drainage clearance from the Ministry,” Wahab stated.
Developers have been given seven days to comply. Failure to do so, the Ministry warned, would result in:
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Decommissioning of illegal reclamation sites
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Excavation and removal of filled land
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Reopening of blocked water channels
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Arrest and prosecution of offenders
Lagos’ Flooding Challenges
Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, has long struggled with flooding due to its low-lying coastal terrain and rapid urban development. Experts have warned that reckless reclamation worsens the city’s vulnerability, particularly during heavy rains and high tides.
The new suspension marks one of the most aggressive policy steps by the state government in recent years to curb environmental violations tied to real estate expansion.
