All articles tagged with #makoko
Demolitions and torching of shanties in Makoko, Lagos’s largest informal waterfront settlement, have displaced more than 10,000 residents and destroyed thousands of homes. Officials say removals are to curb safety risks from high-voltage lines, but critics accuse the move of land-grabbing to pave the way for upscale development, with protests, tear-gas clashes, and reports of deaths and lost livelihoods.
Thousands of dredgers haul sand from Lagos Lagoon, fueling a construction boom as concrete demand spikes, but the activity narrows channels, destroys fishing grounds, and pushes poor communities like Makoko to seek other work. Sand prices have surged, while fishermen face shrinking catches, higher fuel costs, and longer trips offshore. Regulators struggle with inconsistent enforcement and informal payments blur legality, even as scientists warn dredging destabilizes seabeds, worsens water quality, and reduces Lagos’ natural flood buffers.