Destruction of Makoko: A Community's Struggle Against Demolitions in Lagos

Tue Feb 03 2026 10:38:21 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Tensions rise in Lagos as authorities demolish homes in the informal settlement of Makoko amid allegations of a land-grab for gentrification.

In Lagos, the demolition of homes in the Makoko settlement has left many families displaced and vulnerable. Residents accuse the government of orchestrating a land-grab for upscale developments, while officials claim the demolitions are necessary for public safety. Critics express deep concern about the impact on the community as thousands face homelessness amidst an ongoing housing crisis.

A mother of five, Anna Sobie's wooden home is one of many that has been demolished in a shanty town in a lagoon in Lagos, with critics describing it as a 'land-grab' by the authorities to gentrify the prime waterfront spot in Nigeria's biggest city.

Lagos State government officials deny the allegation, saying they are demolishing parts of Makoko - the country's biggest informal waterfront settlement - because it is expanding near high voltage power lines, posing a major health and safety risk.

Sobie and her children now sleep on the narrow broken platform where their house stood until a few weeks ago on Lagos Lagoon. This is the biggest of 10 lagoons in a mega-city that is facing an acute housing crisis - and where life is becoming increasingly expensive, pushing more people to the margins of society.

As Sobie spoke to the BBC, canoes - steered with paddles or long bamboo poles - moved through the narrow waterways, carrying mattresses and sacks of clothes belonging to the displaced people.

Residents say the demolitions began two days before Christmas, when excavation teams accompanied by armed police moved into sections of the waterfront settlement facing the Atlantic Ocean.

In a joint statement last month, 10 non-governmental organisations said that 'armed thugs, security personnel and demolition teams with bulldozers descended repeatedly on the community' to tear down homes and burn them.

More than 10,000 people have reportedly been displaced following the destruction of more than 3,000 homes, schools, clinics, and churches.

The Lagos State government has promised financial aid to families affected by the demolitions, stating it is targeting only those homes near power lines. Activists, however, argue that the plans hint at an agenda aimed at upscale property development, further marginalizing vulnerable communities.

Community protests against the demolitions have been met with police force, raising tensions as displaced residents seek justice and support amidst the chaos. Observers warn that these actions could represent growing patterns of systemic violence against the urban poor in Nigeria.