Funmi Ogundare
The President of the Shoreline Developers Association of Lagos (SDAL), Mr. Lai Omotola, has warned that continued construction on wetlands and unregulated land reclamation are worsening flooding in Lagos, stressing that sustainable shoreline development is the only way to unlock the state’s vast economic potential.
Briefing journalists in Lagos following the inauguration of the association, Omotola said developers must move beyond the pursuit of profit and embrace self-regulation to protect the environment and safeguard investments.
According to him, wetlands designated by the Lagos State Government should never be developed, as such areas play critical ecological roles, including water retention and flood control.
“You cannot build on wetlands. It is a no-go area. Once government designates an area as environmentally protected, developers must respect it. If we continue building on wetlands, flooding will only get worse,” he said.
Omotola noted that the association was established to promote responsible shoreline development and engage government agencies and other stakeholders on sustainable practices.
He warned that failure to comply with environmental regulations could lead to devastating financial losses for homeowners and investors.
“It is suicidal to build a house today only to pull it down 10 years later because of flooding. Someone may invest his retirement savings in a property, only to lose everything because proper environmental assessments were ignored,” he stated.
The SDAL president also condemned indiscriminate land reclamation without the mandatory environmental and geotechnical studies, saying natural waterways have their own flow patterns that must not be obstructed.
According to him, altering water channels without proper planning often results in flooding and storm surges.
“There are critical assessments that must be carried out before any reclamation. Some people simply begin filling land without understanding how water moves. When you block natural water channels, nature will respond, and that is what leads to flooding and surges,” he explained.
Omotola argued that protecting Lagos’ shoreline would ultimately generate greater economic returns than indiscriminate development.
He pointed to high-value waterfront locations such as Banana Island, where premium properties command billions of naira, as evidence that properly planned shoreline communities attract significant investment.
Replicating such developments across other suitable waterfront locations, he stated, could unlock trillions of naira in investments, create jobs, boost tourism and stimulate commercial activities.
“Lagos has enormous shoreline assets. If we develop them responsibly, with the right infrastructure and environmental safeguards, we can attract global investors, increase tourism, create commercial hubs and generate sustainable revenue for the state,” he said.
Omotola further lamented Nigeria’s inadequate tourism and entertainment infrastructure, noting that despite the country’s thriving creative industry, it lacks world-class event facilities capable of hosting major international concerts and attracting larger numbers of visitors.
He maintained that: “Strategic investment in waterfront infrastructure would transform Lagos into a leading tourism and investment destination comparable to global cities with thriving marina developments.”
According to him, with about 40 per cent of Lagos’ landmass covered by water, the state has barely begun to harness its shoreline resources.
He urged government, investors and developers to adopt a long-term vision, insisting that responsible planning, strict implementation of environmental regulations and adequate funding would position Lagos as a global waterfront city while preserving its environment for future generations.
Omotola said the association would promote climate-compliant, technology-driven and self-regulated shoreline development while advocating the preservation of mangrove ecosystems and the restoration of Lagos’ coastal environment.
He also urged Lagos State to prepare for the expected impact of the $3.3 billion Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway, saying coordinated planning would be essential to maximise its economic potential while minimising environmental risks.
On regulatory oversight, Omotola called for stronger collaboration among federal and state agencies to eliminate overlapping responsibilities.
“The Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) should continue to lead shoreline development, while the Office of the Surveyor-General, environmental agencies and the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development should perform their statutory roles in land administration,” the SDAL president stated.