Over 1,000 Homes at Risk: The Looming Lekki-Epe Demolition Crisis
Behind every building along the Lekki-Epe corridor is a journey, a story, a family. A lifetime of savings, school fees deferred, other plans postponed and sacrifices made, loan taken, just so that the property could be acquired and developed.
Yet, as at the time of publishing this report, around 1,000 buildings comprising multi storey buildings, plazas and homes, along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos State face possible demolition, as a result of a government proposed high voltage powerline project.
This means at least over ten thousand persons are confronted with the threat of the ripple effect of losing their homes, means of livelihood and enterprises. A documentary by the New Lagos Property channel on YouTube, released on 3 September 2026, captures their concerns, and the questions they are raising deserve serious attention. The documentary has it that under the current route, which is the Lekki-Epe Expressway, approximately 1,000 buildings, including 6 to 8 storey buildings, fall within the right of way, with an estimated property value exposure of over ₦5.5 trillion.
The question therefore is: are these unreasonable requests?
What the Potentially Affected Persons Are Saying
“We received a letter from the government giving us 7 days to demolish our properties, and demolishing them will do us a lot of harm.”
“My life savings, everything was built in this Sangotedo. Most of us that have been affected have been having high BP. Some of us are sick.”
“It is highly distressing because my house is my home. I have lived in it for over 17 years and I have no other home or property in Lekki.”
“I am a retired doctor from the federal government. I took a loan from Fidelity Bank to buy land. I got the governor’s consent. Our buildings were marked up for demolition. From the original plan, when we acquired those properties, there was nothing such.”
“At my age, getting to 65 years, this is what I retire upon. This is what I live upon. It is where I live. It is where I brought up my family. So to think that there is a high risk that it is going to be demolished in any way, shape or form is highly, highly distressing.”
“Half my tenants left in November last year. Till now it has been abandoned. Nobody is coming for it because the need is everywhere. The money invested has been lying low. Even the property is depreciating.”
“I have many employees, doctors and nurses and many dependents. The problem I have is that I have not even finished paying off the loan. And now the building is going to be demolished. This is obviously going to cause me a lot of stress and difficulty in paying back the loan.”
Indeed, these are not abstract grievances. They are the lived fears and apprehensions of thousands of people, many of whom built their lives in good faith on land with title, with governor’s consent, with receipts.
The Alternatives They Are Proposing
The affected community is not simply protesting. They have done their homework. A committee of residents identified three alternative routes for the proposed power line and presented them formally to Lagos State Government. Meanwhile, while the Lekki-Epe Expressway route proposed by the Lagos State Government covers a distance of 30.48km and will result in the demolition of 1,000 buildings with an estimated cost of around ₦5.5 trillion, the committee provided three alternatives as follows:
| S/N | Route | Distance | Estimated Impact Cost | No. of Buildings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Oregun Route | 34.3km | ₦1.5 Billion | 5 |
| 2 | The Noforija Route | 23km | ₦1 Billion | 5 |
| 3 | The Coastline Route | 39.67km | ₦4.9 Billion | 7 |
The committee’s central question remains unanswered. If alternative corridors exist that affect just 5 to 7 buildings, why can they not be properly evaluated before more than 1,000 buildings are demolished?
“We are not opposed to infrastructure development. We are calling for a solution that balances the need for electricity infrastructure with the protection of existing homes, businesses, and investments.”
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The Due Process Question
Lagos State has been intensifying enforcement along the Lekki-Epe corridor and the state’s position on illegal development and encroachment has been consistent and well documented. Green Realty Africa has reported on this pattern extensively.
Clearly, this situation is different from illegal reclamation or unapproved estates. Many of the affected property owners hold governor’s consent. They have title. They received only seven days notice. That is not due process for properties that families have occupied for up to 27 years.
Seven days.
A government delivering infrastructure for the public good has the right to acquire private land. But it also has the legal and moral obligation to do so objectively, transparently, with adequate notice, fair compensation, and genuine consideration of alternatives that minimise harm. The residents are not asking government to abandon the power line project. They are asking government to choose a route that does not require destroying structures accommodating over 10,000 businesses, families and residents, when less destructive options have already been identified and presented.
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Conclusion
The alternative routes exist. The figures have been presented. The least the government owes these citizens is a genuine, transparent evaluation of every option and a decision in favour of the greater good of true development and public interest, before a single building comes down.
Green Realty Africa will continue following this story.