The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has advised residents of Makoko to leave buildings constructed beneath high-tension power lines, warning of the severe risks of electrocution, fire outbreaks, and structural hazards.
Mr. Gbolahan Oki, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, issued the warning during a media briefing on recent enforcement exercises.
Oki explained that siting homes and businesses directly under high-voltage transmission lines contravenes physical planning regulations and undermines broader urban development goals aimed at building a safe and resilient Lagos.
“Makoko has become a high-risk zone because of the presence of electricity cables over houses and shops. The agency has engaged community stakeholders, including traditional leaders and local chairmen, to highlight the dangers. Everyone agrees that remaining in these buildings puts lives at serious risk,” he said.
During the briefing, a short documentary of one of the community engagement sessions was shown to journalists as evidence of prior consultations. Oki stressed that the government could not wait until tragedy strikes, noting that citizens’ lives outweigh economic activities carried out in the danger zone.
He added that despite repeated warnings, some residents remained defiant, wrongly assuming that political considerations would stall enforcement.
“The next time you see us in Makoko, people will say the government acted suddenly. That is why we are showing proof of our meetings with the community beforehand,” Oki stated.
He urged the media to support public sensitisation efforts, stressing that waterfront living is possible in organised forms—as practiced in other parts of the world—but never beneath high-tension cables.
According to him, the state remains committed to protecting lives, enhancing the environment, and enforcing orderly urban planning.
The government had earlier introduced a Building Permit Amnesty Programme in 2024 to help owners of unapproved structures regularise their documentation. Out of 18,489 applications submitted during the exercise, 8,856 permits were granted.
With enforcement already underway in Oworonshoki, Oki noted that Makoko would also face similar action to safeguard residents and restore planning order in the area.