Nigeria: Lagos Raises Alarm Over Degradation of Lagoon

5 September 2025
Leadership (Abuja)
By George Okojie

Lagos State government has raised the alarm over the environmental degradation of the Lagos Lagoon, saying the situation portends an ecological and social catastrophe if urgent measures are not taken to tackle the menace.

At a press conference ahead of the Lagos Waterfront Summit, the commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Hon. Yacoob Dayo Alebiosu, outlined a series of escalating threats to the lagoon's ecosystem, ranging from industrial pollution and illegal fishing to climate change-induced sea level rise and coastal erosion.

The "Pressure on the Lagoon: The Lagos Experience" summit, scheduled for September 11 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, aims to spotlight the challenges facing Lagos' waterfronts while charting a path for sustainable development.

"The Lagos Lagoon is under intense pressure from both human-driven and climate-related factors. Without urgent and coordinated intervention, this vital ecosystem and the communities it supports may be lost forever," Alebiosu warned.

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According to the Commissioner, the lagoon has become one of Africa's most polluted ecosystems, with over 10,000 cubic metres of industrial waste discharged into it daily. These effluents, originating mainly from oil, textile, and manufacturing sectors, contain hazardous heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, lead, and nickel.

In addition to industrial waste, domestic sewage, and agricultural runoff, toxic organic compounds are dumped into the lagoon, further endangering aquatic life and public health.

Alebiosu also highlighted the impact of overexploitation of aquatic species, particularly through illegal fishing practices, which have caused a drastic decline in fish populations. This, he noted, threatens the lagoon's biodiversity and undermines the livelihoods of local fishing communities.

He stated that sand mining, dredging, and unregulated land reclamation have also significantly altered the lagoon's natural terrain, leading to large-scale habitat loss.

The Commissioner expressed concern over Lagos' rapid urban development, which continues to encroach on vital wetland areas and natural flood buffers that support human and ecological resilience.

"Every wetland lost is a flood risk gained," Alebiosu stated, warning that construction in sensitive wetland zones increases the city's vulnerability to urban flooding.

He added that drainage systems are frequently blocked by plastics and non-biodegradable waste, worsening flood conditions during the rainy season.

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