Lagos Government Pledges $2m to Makoko Water Cities Renewal Project
The Lagos State Government has announced a $2 million investment in the Water Cities Project as part of its plan to redevelop and regenerate the Makoko waterfront community.
The commitment was made public on Monday by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, alongside the Special Adviser to the Governor on E-GIS and Urban Development, Mr Babatunde Olajide. The disclosure was reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The announcement comes amid ongoing demolitions in parts of Makoko and other waterfront communities, which the state government has described as measures tied to urban renewal, environmental sustainability and public safety.
Speaking on the initiative, Olajide described Makoko as a unique and globally recognised settlement, noting that its sensitivity informed the government’s decision to adopt a sustainable redevelopment approach.
“Makoko is a very sensitive community with both land and waterfront sections, and it is known all over the world,” he said.
He disclosed that earlier plans to extend the shoreline in the area were abandoned following expert advice.
“We dropped shoreline extension because experts advised it was not environmentally friendly,” Olajide said, adding that, “Water Cities is the sustainable option, and that is what we are pursuing with the Makoko community.”
According to him, the Water Cities Project aligns with environmental standards and global best practices and is being implemented in consultation with residents of the community.
Olajide also explained that recent clearances of structures under high-tension power lines were carried out strictly for safety reasons.
“Those areas were cleared to protect lives. It was not meant to punish anyone,” he said.
Beyond Makoko, the state government highlighted several urban regeneration projects carried out across Lagos since 2019. Olajide cited the relocation of the Okobaba sawmill to Timberville as a major success, noting that about 300 housing units were provided at no cost to operators, alongside industrial equipment worth billions of naira.
He said the relocation eliminated frequent fire outbreaks and transformed the area into an organised industrial hub, which now hosts a permanent National Youth Service Corps orientation camp.
On market redevelopment, Olajide said 21 markets, including Pelewura, Jankara and Bombata, are undergoing reconstruction, while thousands of modern stalls are being built at Alaba-Arago for original traders.
He added that the state has committed about N1 billion to housing regeneration in Adeniji-Adele and continues to pay rent for displaced residents.
In Dosunmu, he said compensation exceeding N1 billion was paid to affected property owners.
Meanwhile, advocacy group Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) claimed that recent demolitions in Makoko and Oworonshoki displaced more than 10,000 residents and affected over 3,000 homes.
CAPPA alleged that while initial demolitions targeted buildings within 50 metres of power lines, the exercise was later extended to 100 metres, impacting low-income residents dependent on fishing and small-scale trading.
A human rights group, Take It Back Movement, also said compensation paid to verified homeowners ranged between N300,000 and N5 million, with some residents rejecting the amounts as insufficient.
The Lagos State Government has maintained that the demolitions were necessary to avert disasters, improve safety and protect lives, stressing that verified homeowners were provided with compensation, palliatives and relocation support.
