Lagos landmass expands from 3,577 to 4,050 sq. km pushed by huge reclamation

Lagos landmass has expanded from 3,577 to 4,050 sq. kilometres resulting from in depth reclamation of wetlands and lagoon water our bodies, the State Commissioner for the Setting and Water Sources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, has revealed.

The disclosure was made whereas he spoke on the Harvard College Local weather Motion Week, as disclosed in an announcement on the Lagos State Authorities’s X web page on Monday.

Wahab stated the expansion highlights the size of human-driven adjustments to town’s geography and the implications for flooding, drainage, and local weather resilience.

He famous that any land reclamation tasks now require an Environmental Affect Evaluation (EIA) and a drainage grasp plan to make sure correct stormwater administration and forestall ecological harm.

“He lamented that aerial geographic data has proven that the unique landmass of Lagos, which was 3,577 sq. m, has elevated to 4,050 sq. m because of the huge reclamation of wetlands and lagoon water our bodies for actual property development. 

“He stated the state has additionally been exercising its authorized powers to verify excesses that include this human exercise by insisting that anybody who intends to embark on a reclamation should receive an Environmental Affect Evaluation (EIA) approval.  

“Wahab added that such an software for reclamation should have a drainage grasp plan to exhibit how storm water from that reclamation can be correctly discharged into the water physique,” the assertion learn.

The Commissioner additionally famous that Lagos has been investing in resilient drainage infrastructure, imposing environmental legal guidelines, and prosecuting unlawful development and indiscriminate waste dumping to mitigate climate-related dangers.

Extra insights  

Wahab additionally emphasised that Lagos has been positioning itself as a hub for sustainable waste administration and local weather adaptation.

The state has carried out pre-feasibility research on waste-to-energy and wastewater tasks and has signed agreements with worldwide companions to transform a portion of its every day 13,000 metric tonnes of municipal waste into power, fertilisers, and recyclable supplies.

He identified that such initiatives not solely scale back the stress on landfills like Olusosun and Solous but additionally create financial alternatives by reworking waste into wealth.

The Commissioner highlighted that Lagos is actively imposing rules to curb unlawful reclamation and growth actions and insists on compliance with environmental safeguards to mitigate the long-term results of city enlargement on coastal and lagoon ecosystems.

What it is best to know  

The Lagos State Authorities has stepped up efforts to manage reclamation and development in flood-prone zones to safeguard coastal and low-lying areas from flooding and erosion.

• The federal government warned that unplanned reclamation can impede water channels, scale back lagoon capability, and worsen seasonal flooding.
• On September 18, the federal government ordered the suspension of all reclamation tasks pending environmental assessments. It famous that widespread reclamation in areas reminiscent of Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki, Ajah, Ikorodu, Ojo, and Badagry has usually taken place with out satisfactory oversight.

All authorized tasks should now bear documentation, EIA processes, and drainage clearance earlier than persevering with. The federal government gave operators a seven-day deadline to conform, warning that unlawful websites could be decommissioned, blocked channels reconnected, and offenders prosecuted.