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Terror By The Sea…Lagos Waterfront Turns Concrete Jungle As Land Speculators, Realtors, Sand-Fill Ikoyi Bay For Housing Projects

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2 years ago

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Terror By The Sea…Lagos Waterfront Turns Concrete Jungle As Land Speculators, Realtors, Sand-Fill Ikoyi Bay For Housing Projects

l How Illicit Sand-Filling Of Lagoon Fuels Climate Crisis

l Residents At Risk Of Been Submerged

 

Disaster looms on the coastal belt of Lagos as real estate developers swoop on the sprawling estates and luxurious neighbourhoods dotting the panoramic expanse of Ikoyi. Consequently, residents panic against the backdrop of the distortion of the city’s master plan by land speculators working in cahoots with estate developers. The latter flagrantly spurn the policies and programmes of the state government which are geared to address climate change, thus aggravating the flooding and possible submerging of the state’s upscale neighbourhood, writes Bennet Oghifo

 

One businessman messes with Mother Nature, and an entire city suffers the brunt of his misjudgment. Yet most businessmen hustle to shield themselves from the effects of their error in judgment. While this may seem probable in ideation, it is impracticable.

Thus at the real estate mogul’s unsettling of mother nature, chaos ensues, and the truth dawns on society like blisters of eternal damnation; everyone gets to understand that there are neither rewards nor punishments for provoking mother nature, just consequences.

Consider the terrifying case of Ikoyi, in Lagos Island, for instance, since land speculators and developers swooped on its waterfronts, sand-filling the Lagos lagoon and encroachment on the beautiful waterfronts that adorn the upscale neighbourhood, the area has been exposed to protracted flooding and erasure of its once sightly esplanades.

Recently, the residents of the highbrow Ikoyi Crescent, in Lagos, were jolted to see their waterfront awash with sand courtesy of the operations of an upstream dredger, whose equipment bore the insignia of “Dredging Atlantic.” They watched in abject horror as the sand-filling operations of the land speculator brought down the upscale quality of the neighbourhood; they rued the probability of seeing the lagoon succumb to the unregulated and unauthorised real estate venture.

Mortified by the ensuing consequences in terms of a possible loss of the aesthetics the lagoon offers their properties and an outlet for floodwaters, the residents petitioned the Lagos State government.

In 2017, a group, the Coalition of Concerned Citizens of Lekki, Ikoyi and Victoria Island, expressed similar trepidation, with its representative Olusegun Ladega, an architect, exposing the distortion of the Lekki drainage regional master plan “caused by the indiscriminate sand-filling of natural waterways.” According to him, the sand-filling of Lagos lagoons and oceans is causing coastal erosion, forcing water back to land. The Ikoyi Crescent residents observed that the realtors and developers sand-filling the lagoon close to their neighbourhood had no proof of an environmental impact assessment report. Ladega believed the Lagos government could do more, stressing that the inability of the environment, waterfront and physical planning ministries to “work together” has resulted in infringement and breach of environmental laws by the ministries’ poor enforcement of environmental laws, building regulations and town planning guidelines.

 

Lagos ministries at the heart of the matter

The Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development directly oversees the waterfront. The Ikoyi Crescent residents said they made their observations known to the ministry. Neither the waterfront ministry, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development could tell what is going on in the Ikoyi neighbourhood. The environment ministry told THISDAY it did not approve the sand-filling of the lagoon, citing that it is not under its purview. The physical planning ministry did not respond to THISDAY’s inquiry.

 

However, the waterfront ministry replied to the newspaper’s inquiry, albeit unofficially.“They did not obtain approval from the ministry. The ministry did not give them any approval. When the ministry received complaints about their activity, a ‘stop work order’ was issued to them,” said an official of the waterfront ministry who spoke under anonymity.

 

The official did not state if the Lagos government would penalise or prosecute the trespassers.In October, the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Yacoob Ekundayo Alebiosu, issued a ‘stop-work order’ on illegally built structures at Oyinkan Abayomi, Ikoyi, in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area, pending a review of any prior regulatory licences that may have been granted.Alebiosu had issued the order while inspecting several development sites along the waterfront corridor across Lagos, noting that the development violated the state’s regulations.

 

“The state government’s attention has been directed to the large unlawful development projects that have destroyed the area’s desirable waterfront scenery, putting the entire environment at risk of erosion and degradation,” said the commissioner. In November, the Lagos government announced that following the non-compliance with the ‘stop-work order’ issued earlier to a developer of an ongoing multi-floor residential building on Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi, it had sealed the site of the project ordering workers to vacate the building immediately.

 

While the commissioner admitted that dredging could be done in Lagos, Alebiosu emphasised that it must be done with control and caution not to disturb the ecosystem and endanger the lives and property of the people. Lagos is the smallest state in Nigeria, yet it has the highest urban population, 27.4 per cent of the national estimate (UN-Habitat). Lagos’ dominant vegetation is the swamp forest of the fresh water and mangrove swamp forests, both of which are influenced by its double rainfall pattern, making the environment a wetland region. The Lagos drainage system is characterised by a maze of lagoons and waterways, constituting about 22 per cent or 787 sq. km. (75.755 hectares) of the state’s territory. In 2020, the Lagos government, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and C40 Cities, took bold steps to address the climate change scourge, which has become a defining environmental challenge to the state and several other parts of the world. But, the clandestine activities of realtors and developers seem to undo all the government’s positive steps.

 

What lies beneath

By 2030, an estimated 108 to 116 million people in Africa will live in low-elevation coastal zones—defined as areas 10 meters or less above sea level, a figure projected to double by 2060, according to the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies, noting that in the near term, North and West Africa will be most directly affected, comprising 85 per cent of the projected 100 million population affected on the continent, though every region is threatened. Egypt and Nigeria, with high-density metropolises near the coast, are anticipated to face the greatest population disruptions.

 

Home to at least 20 million people and expected to be the world’s largest city “by the end of the century, Lagos, a low-lying city on Nigeria’s Atlantic coast, also experiences the triple impact of perennial fluvial (river), pluvial (rainfall), and coastal flooding.”The centre explained that adding up the damages to assets, economic production, and mortality, the World Bank found the total cost of “just fluvial and pluvial flooding in Lagos is $4 billion annually,” pointing out that rising sea levels combined with high urbanisation will exacerbate future damage. It added that between 2020 and 2030, Africa’s seven largest coastal cities—Lagos, Luanda, Dar es Salaam, Alexandria, Abidjan, Cape Town, and Casablanca—are projected to grow by 40 per cent (48 million people to 69 million) compared with the continent’s overall anticipated increase of 27 per cent (1.34 billion to 1.69 billion).“Smaller coastal cities may expand even faster: Port Harcourt in Nigeria, for example, is expected to grow 53 per cent over this decade. Globally, Africa’s coastal regions are anticipated to experience the highest rates of population growth and urbanisation in the world,” said the centre.

 

Public-private collusion?

THISDAY contacted Dredging Atlantic, whose equipment was sighted working at the lagoon. There was a denial of involvement in the ruination of the lagoon beyond a commercial hire of their equipment by an unnamed realtor or developer.“That is false information (that Dredging Atlantic was the firm sand-filling the lagoon). I just made an enquiry, and it’s not Dredging Atlantic. They hired our equipment,” a representative of the company said. “But if you want to get clearer information, then go to the Lagos State Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development. We don’t have any permit to work there. It’s not in our name.”

When the Dredging Atlantic official was told that the dredger on site belonged to Dredging Atlantic, his response was: “They hired our dredger.” However, “the company also undertakes various marine construction projects and geotechnical works; excavation offshore reclamation contracts; services for developing water installations for marine facilities and excavation contracts; drilling and deepening waterways, ports and marine installation,” according to information on its website.

A marine expert, Hakeem Ogunbambi, told THISDAY that it is unlikely private investors, realtors, and developers are carrying out the surreptitious sand-filling of the Ikoyi Crescent lagoon without the active collusion of Lagos government officials.“This reclamation is not being done by the private sector alone. They have their collaborators in the government. So, nobody can just take their dredger to the lagoon and begin to dredge or begin to do reclamation without the backing of some government officials.” Ogunbambi suggested that “those close” to Sanwo-Olu are not unlikely to be at the top of the food chain.

 

Nonetheless, the Lagos government is committed to the ideals of climate change. Last August, in a bid to combat and mitigate the effects of climate change in Lagos, Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu restated his administration’s commitment to working closely with experts, organisations, and the global community to ensure that Lagos remains at the forefront of climate action in Nigeria, admitting that “while we have made significant progress, there is still much work to be done since the challenges faced demand continuous innovation, collaboration and adaptation.”

The clandestine sand-filling of the Ikoyi Crescent lagoon will require “much work” from the Lagos government to stop unauthorised developers and realtors from wreaking havoc on the Ikoyi axis and its waterfronts. Lagos Lagoon is receding, no thanks to so-called speculators and developers illegally assuaging the appetite for upscale real estate with little or no regard for watercourse, town planning codes and safety, according to several Ikoyi residents.

Apprehensive residents worry that the indiscriminate sand-filling of the lagoon will aggravate the already perennial flooding in Ikoyi. According to THISDAY checks, several dredging activities along the lagoon shoreline are usually carried out at night, surreptitiously encroaching the waterfronts of some Ikoyi residents.

Realtors and developers are forming landmass by illegally sand-filling the Lagos lagoon and selling the land to unsuspecting affluent and sometimes influential figures.

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Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact [email protected]

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NNPCL and Corruption’s Final Throes

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3 days ago

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August 16, 2025

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NNPCL and Corruption’s Final Throes* By Pius Olasanmi

NNPCL and Corruption’s Final Throes

By Pius Olasanmi

 

In the twilight of the Obasanjo administration, when Nigerians were still capable of being outraged, when Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of refineries was a buzzword that still held some mysticism to bamboozle citizens, during a conversation, a certain man said something profound. The man said, “As a businessman, if I were the owner of these refineries, knowing that they are three decades old, I would take the last money I have, hire bulldozers, raze them to the ground, and obtain loans to build new ones.”

When we pressed him further on why he would engage in such waste, he explained that repairing the refineries is the real waste. He explained that even if the TAM were honestly carried out, a thirty-year-old refinery would never compete favourably with a new one that would integrate contemporary technology. Operating at its best, such a refinery would never be comparatively more efficient. It is therefore pointless to have spent another one naira on the refineries at that point.

A few months later, I had a conversation with a then-lawmaker on an entirely different matter. I mentioned that the National Assembly has failed by not crafting legislation that would criminalise and punish public office holders who foist wrong decisions on the country. The logic: a public office holder need not steal to be punished, wrong decisions should attract penalties for an office holder who opts for the worst of all options when there are less injurious ones.

These established premises speak to the ongoing nauseating efforts at revisionism by those who wrecked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its previous iteration, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Notably, this campaign to rewrite history is traceable to Engineer Mele Kolo Kyari, the disgraced immediate past Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL and his hirelings. They have suffocated the news and the public opinion space with even more lies than they spun while in office.

The Saint Kyari campaign is anchored on convincing Nigerians that the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna Refineries were fully functional when he was booted out of office. So brazen is the campaign that one of its talking heads challenged the group chief executive officer (GCEO), Engr. Bayo Ojulari, to “inform Nigerians categorically what happened to the functioning refineries he inherited from his predecessor, Engr. Mele Kyari.” The effrontery.

We have not forgotten so soon the charade that followed the baffling claim that Nigeria has spent $2.8 billion on the repair of the refineries, while they are not churning out even a single litre of refined product among them. Saint Kyari and his goons played all manner of tricks, all of which embarrassed President Bola Tinubu, who had counted on ticking off the return to productivity of the refineries as part of his achievements, only to realise that he was deceived into celebrating phantoms. Tragic.

Lest we forget, 200 trucks were arranged as props in a well-directed video clip to celebrate the re-streaming of the Port Harcourt Refinery. The disappointment. Nigerians were to learn from several reports that the Port Harcourt refinery was not producing and was instead using old, stored petroleum products to load trucks. Worse still, the Kyari crew was passing off sanction-tainted Russian-sourced crude oil refined in Malta as locally refined products. More insult was piled on the assault on our collective sensibility with the lies that the Port Harcourt Refinery exported semi-finished products. Brazen.

Meanwhile, Kyari and his hirelings called those who pointed out or protested these glaring scams all manner of names. They hid behind industry technicalities and jargon to create the impression that those of us who knew Nigerians were being robbed did not understand what we were saying. The point remains that a $2.8 billion investment can potentially build a refinery with a capacity of around 100,000 barrels per day (bpd). Of course, the actual capacity of such a refinery will depend on various factors, including the complexity of the refinery, the technology used, and the location. That is the amount that Kyari’s regime at the NNPCL took and did not give Nigerians refined products.

Fast forward to Kyari’s sack and the appointment of Engineer Bayo Ojulari, who has demonstrated that things can indeed be done differently. Kyari’s exit was expectedly followed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) going after him and his associates. The extent of the theft is better understood against the backdrop of N80 billion being found in the bank account of one of his associates. They went on the run.

Perhaps because the EFCC was biding its time on securing international warrants for the arrests of these characters on the lam, they have become emboldened. They have decided to fight back and rewrite the story of their participation in the greatest fraud against Nigerians. Engineer Ojulari’s renewed mindset, which is entrenching a semblance of the transparency Nigerians demand, became their natural target. The demons that once roamed around the corporation came out with malevolence. They started spinning stories of corruption to tarnish the incumbent who refused to hide their crimes. The objective: bring Ojulari down. But alas, he is winning the war as it stands.

His innocence is proven, and it is glaring that those who want him out are mere charlatans who can no longer ply their corrupt wares because of the impact of the new reforms. Corruption in the NNPCL is in its final throes. The fake news being unleashed against the incumbent leadership is akin to corruption’s last kicks as reforms in the sector strangulate it and its practitioners. The reforms must take place in the NNPCL, whether the industry demons like it or not.

As a parting shot, Kyari and his associates would do well to prepare their defence. In addition to accounting for the $2.8 billion they laundered in the name of repairing the moribund refineries, they must also answer for the poor decision to fix that which is irretrievably broken. Awarding contracts for Turn Around Maintenance of 59-year-old refineries that a right-thinking person had suggested should be demolished almost twenty years ago, when they were only 30 years old, is criminal. Trying to deceive Nigerians that the fake repairs worked is treason.

NNPCL and Corruption’s Final Throes* By Pius Olasanmi

Olasanmi is a public affairs analyst writing from Lagos.

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GRANDIS 5STAR LUXURY APARTMENT & SUITES SET TO REDEFINE LIVING IN VICTORIA ISLAND

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4 days ago

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August 15, 2025

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GRANDIS 5STAR LUXURY APARTMENT & SUITES SET TO REDEFINE LIVING IN VICTORIA ISLAND

GRANDIS 5STAR LUXURY APARTMENT & SUITES SET TO REDEFINE LIVING IN VICTORIA ISLAND

Set to Rise elegantly against the Lagos skyline, is the Grandis 5Star Luxury Apartment & Suites. According to Adejuwon Ademola, The General Manager of the Development company, it is more than just a residential building
“it’s a lifestyle statement. Standing 17 floors high in the heart of Victoria Island, this revolutionary masterpiece of modern architecture will offer a panoramic 360° view of Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island, and Ikoyi, transforming every apartment into an exclusive penthouse experience for the world’s most discerning elite.”

GRANDIS 5STAR LUXURY APARTMENT & SUITES SET TO REDEFINE LIVING IN VICTORIA ISLAND
Developed by Dumarco Construction Limited, a globally acclaimed company with decades of delivering complex, high-value projects in the highly regulated petroleum, oil, and gas industries, Grandis 5Star brings unmatched international safety standards, uncompromising quality, and timeless elegance into Nigeria’s luxury property market.

> “When you live in Grandis, you’re not just buying a home—you’re investing in peace of mind, world-class safety, and an effortless luxury experience that will remain pristine for decades,” says Adejuwon A. Ademola, General Manager of Dumarco Construction Limited.

The Gold Standard in Safety and Quality

Dumarco’s roots in the oil and gas sector mean the company operates to some of the strictest safety protocols in the world. Every stage—from conceptualization, design, construction, to long-term maintenance—follows internationally accepted procedures and quality assurance measures. Cutting corners is simply not in Dumarco’s vocabulary.

> “In the oil and gas industry, there’s no room for compromise. We’ve brought that same discipline and zero-tolerance for mediocrity into property development,” says Ademola. “That’s why Grandis will be one of the safest and most enduring residential developments in Nigeria.”

To ensure transparency and prevent (project complacency), Dumarco deliberately separates the developer, contractor, and consultant roles, engaging only the most competent professionals in each respective field. Dumarco’s project team includes globally recognized contractors such as Julius Berger, Cappa & D’Alberto, and Elalan, Migliore Construczione & Tecniche (MC&T) and their partners VENCO IMTIAZ CONTRACTING COMPANY (VICC) based in Dubai, UAE, Business Contracting Limited, alongside leading consultants like Morgan Omanitan & Abe, LAMBERT, and James Cubitt.

Grandis – Investments, appreciation, returns and profitability

Our selection process for the location of the project alone was pains-taking and completely thorough scientific process. Top professional companies were employed to conduct a scientific data acquisition and analytical survey of the entire Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki and Eko Atlantic before a project site is selected. Analyzing and acquiring areas developmental charts and trends, studying and gathering historical and present sale prices, rental charge and occupancy rates over a 50 year period from every individual street before the selection of the location of any of our developments especially true for the Grandis Project
He adds,

“Our clients and residents can be rest assured that the location of Grandis has been scientifically proven through all existing data to provide our clients with a 100% occupancy rate, highest developmental location, highest rental income and investment returns. ”

The Grandis Experience

Located minutes away from international corporate headquarters, embassies, and landmarks such as Eko Hotel, Radisson Blu, and the Radisson Red, Grandis offers unmatched convenience for professionals, diplomats, and high-net-worth individuals. Every residence is designed for both indulgence and efficiency, with high-grade finishes, smart-home systems, and private amenities that ensure seamless living.

From sunrise over the Atlantic to the glittering Lagos night skyline, residents will enjoy uninterrupted luxury, supported by discreet and highly trained staff, advanced security systems, and a design that prioritizes comfort and privacy.

> “We designed Grandis for people who want everything—security, elegance, convenience, and the assurance that their home will look as spectacular in 20 years as it does on day one,” Ademola notes.

A Legacy That Lasts

With its combination of visionary architecture, peerless safety, and meticulous maintenance planning, Grandis is built to remain iconic for generations. Thanks to Dumarco’s meticulous approach, the building’s service charges are expected to remain low while its value and appeal continue to appreciate over time.

In a market often marred by shortcuts and substandard practices, Mr Ademola says
Grandis stands as a beacon of what luxury living should be—safe, spectacular, and built to last.

“Grandis 5Star Luxury Apartment & Suites — Where safety meets sophistication, and every detail is designed for a life well-lived.”
He added

Website -www.dumarcoltd.com
Project website – www.26idowutaylor.com
Email [email protected]
Tel / WhatsApp +234 9077777883
GM – Adejuwon A. Ademola

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Nationwide Talent, One Broadcaster: Tinubu Picks Pedro, Bello, Din, Mohammed to Lead NTA

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4 days ago

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August 15, 2025

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Nationwide Talent, One Broadcaster: Tinubu Picks Pedro, Bello, Din, Mohammed to Lead NTA

Tinubu Overhauls NTA Leadership: Media Powerhouse Rotimi Pedro Takes Helm as DG

 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced a major shake-up at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), appointing renowned media executive Rotimi Richard Pedro as the new Director-General in a move widely seen as a bold step toward modernising the state broadcaster.

Pedro, a Lagos native, brings nearly 30 years of expertise in broadcasting, sports rights, and marketing communications across Africa, the UK, and the Middle East. A trained entertainment and intellectual property lawyer, he also holds an MSc in Investment Management and Finance from City University Business School, London.

In 1995, Pedro founded Optima Sports Management International (OSMI), which rose to become one of Africa’s leading sports content providers—distributing premium events such as the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup, and CAF competitions to audiences in over 40 countries.

His career highlights include top roles at Bloomberg Television Africa and Rapid Blue Format, as well as advisory work for FIFA, UEFA, Fremantle Media, and the African Union of Broadcasters (AUB). At the AUB, he was instrumental in securing exclusive pan-African free-to-air media rights for all CAF competitions.

Alongside Pedro’s appointment, Tinubu named Karimah Bello from Katsina State as Executive Director of Marketing, Stella Din from Plateau State as Executive Director of News, and Sophia Issa Mohammed from Adamawa State as Managing Director of NTA Enterprises Limited.

Industry insiders credit Pedro with building commercially viable broadcast platforms, driving sponsorship growth, and delivering world-class content to African audiences. His appointment marks one of the most significant leadership changes at NTA in years—signalling the government’s intent to strengthen the broadcaster’s competitiveness in a fast-evolving media landscape.

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