Forced eviction and demolition of slum: A case study of the Makoko slum in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Over the past few decades, the city of Lagos has been experiencing poor and uneven development. Consequently, basic infrastructure and services are rarely provided. Lagos, the subject of this research paper, is the leading city in Nigeria in terms of economic performance. Unfortunately, the city is unable to cope with the challenges of urbanisation that have resulted in severely inadequate housing and proliferation of slums. In light of this, the Lagos government has been carrying out forcible demolition of unplanned settlement in the name of regeneration and vision of creating a 21st-century mega-city. This paper presents Makoko, a residential enclave in Lagos, as an example of recent forced eviction, based on secondary data drawn from the coverage of the Makoko eviction. The study shows that public good was invoked to justify the eviction and demolition. This eviction was carried out without prior consultation, compensation or alternative accommodation. The paper concludes with the recommendation that regeneration of slum areas can be carried out to bring about development, if properly managed by engaging the slum community.