Makoko At Risk: Lagos Housing Shortage Fuels Displacement, Says Expert

Lagos’ worsening housing shortage and the recent demolition of thousands of homes in Makoko highlight the urgent need for a more inclusive urban development strategy, Folasope Pinheiro, has said.

Pinheiro, who works with the London-based architecture firm, Greig and Stephenson, said the rapid growth of Lagos’ population is outpacing housing development, forcing many residents into informal settlements such as Makoko.

According to him, Lagos gains about 2,000 new residents every day, yet the state government has built only about 9,970 housing units in the past six years.

He noted that assuming an average of five people per household, the deficit leaves approximately 1,975 new residents daily without formal housing options.

“This housing shortage, combined with soaring property costs, makes the growth of informal settlements inevitable,” Pinheiro said.

He described Makoko —often referred to as the “Venice of Africa”— as a long-standing fishing community with deep historical roots.

According to him, the settlement dates back to between the 1800s and early 1900s when settlers from the Egun ethnic group established a fishing community along the Lagos Lagoon.

Pinheiro said the community developed an informal land tenure system that predates colonial land laws and evolved around access to fishing grounds and proximity to Lagos’ central business district.

Despite poor infrastructure and limited technology, he said Makoko has maintained a largely self-sustaining artisanal fishing economy for decades.

He explained that from the 1950s the community began expanding rapidly, with houses spreading into the lagoon on wooden stilts as population density increased.

“Today, households in Makoko often accommodate between six and ten people,” he added.

Pinheiro, who visited Makoko in June 2025, said the community presents a complex picture of hardship and resilience.

According to him, while poor sanitation, environmental pollution and visible poverty are evident, residents have also built strong community networks that enable them to survive despite limited government support.

However, the architect said tensions escalated following demolition operations carried out in parts of the settlement late last year.

He said demolition teams began clearing structures on December 20, 2025, destroying thousands of homes.

Pinheiro cited accounts suggesting that about 3,000 homes were demolished, displacing an estimated 30,000 residents.

He also referenced reports indicating that at least five people died during the operation, while several community leaders were arrested.

Some residents, he said, claimed they were given only 72 hours’ notice before the demolition began, while authorities insisted that adequate notice had been issued.

According to him, the Lagos State Government said the demolitions were necessary because houses had encroached dangerously close to an electricity transmission tower.

Authorities reportedly stated that the exercise was intended to enforce a 100-metre safety buffer around the tower, although reports suggested demolition activities extended up to 200 metres from the structure.

Pinheiro said investigations by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting indicated the demolitions may also be linked to wider redevelopment plans tied to Lagos’ megacity vision.

He warned that redevelopment strategies driven primarily by large-scale infrastructure projects could disrupt the lives and livelihoods of residents if communities are not fully integrated into planning processes.

“Top-down redevelopment tends to prioritise projects first and place second,” he said, adding that such approaches often shift the focus from people and livelihoods to land and physical development.

Pinheiro also noted that while community-led development is desirable, the scale of infrastructure deficits in Makoko means residents cannot address all challenges on their own.

He therefore advocated what he described as an “enabler” model in which government acts as a catalyst for community-driven redevelopment.

Under this approach, authorities would support residents with infrastructure, financing and technical expertise while allowing the community to guide its own development.

Pinheiro pointed to examples from other countries where governments have used subsidised loans and technical assistance to help low-income communities upgrade their housing.

He also urged planners to explore climate-resilient architectural solutions for waterfront communities, arguing that Lagos should consider innovative aquatic designs rather than relying solely on land reclamation.

According to him, Makoko already operates within a functioning economic ecosystem centred on artisanal fishing and informal trade.

“If Lagos wants to generate revenue, the slower and least efficient route is displacement. The faster route is enabling the economic potential of communities that are already functioning,” he said.

Pinheiro said the future of Makoko presents Lagos with a critical choice between pursuing development models that displace vulnerable communities or adopting more inclusive strategies that integrate them into the city’s growth.

“The question is whether Lagos wants to remove Makoko or anchor it as part of its future,” he added.