Lagos reclamation suspension halts land-filling projects over flood and ecosystem risks, demanding EIA and drainage clearance for all ongoing works
Lagos reclamation suspension has been ordered by the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, placing an immediate hold on all land reclamation activities across the state.
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The directive, issued Thursday in a statement signed by Environment Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab, follows growing concerns over environmental degradation, flooding, and illegal developments carried out without mandatory Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) or drainage approvals.
Reclamation, the practice of creating land from water bodies through infilling, has surged in areas such as Banana Island, Lekki, Ajah, Ikoyi, Oworonshoki, and parts of the Lagos Mainland, often without full environmental compliance.
Wahab stated that, while such projects may appear to support housing and infrastructure growth, they present “significant environmental and social risks,” including worsened flooding, loss of wetlands and biodiversity, erosion, and poor water quality.
Citing the state’s low-lying topography and fragile ecosystems, Wahab declared that unchecked reclamation in lagoons, wetlands, and floodplains could no longer be tolerated.
“All reclamation projects, whether approved or ongoing without clearance, must be suspended immediately,” Wahab announced.
The ministry further directed that all past approvals be re-submitted for documentation and monitoring.
New and existing projects will be required to undergo the full EIA process, obtain a formal approval letter, and secure drainage clearance from the Ministry.
Failure to comply within seven days will trigger enforcement actions, including the decommissioning of illegal sites, removal of landfill, unblocking of water channels, and prosecution of offenders.
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The Lagos reclamation suspension represents one of the strongest environmental regulatory actions taken by the state in recent years, amid growing fears that uncontrolled urban expansion is heightening the city’s vulnerability to flooding and ecological collapse.
