Lagos dredging boom fuels development but sinks fishing livelihoods

Beneath a sprawling eight-lane expressway, men stand waist-deep in the Lagos Lagoon, scooping sand from the murky water to fuel Africa’s fastest-growing megacity. Dredging has become a booming business as demand for sand, essential for concrete and land reclamation, rises with Lagos’ rapid development.

“Dredging is an easy process,” says dredging operator Joshua Alex. “We extract sand from under the water… this barge is the transporter, and when we load it, we take it to the destination.”

But for fishing communities like Makoko, one of Lagos’ oldest waterfront settlements, the cost is steep. Barges now operate close to stilted homes, while reclaimed land and luxury developments creep ever closer.

Local leader Baale Semede Emmanuel says livelihoods are disappearing. “Dredgers have spoiled the entire waters,” he explains. “If we want to fish now, there’s no fish there anymore. The loud engines drive them away, and the breeding areas have been taken over.”

Environmental researchers back those claims, linking dredging to high water turbidity that disrupts fish reproduction and migration. Fishermen say shrinking catches are forcing them farther offshore, increasing costs and danger.

Authorities have pledged to crack down on illegal dredging, but residents say enforcement remains inconsistent — as Lagos faces rising flood risks from the loss of its natural lagoon buffers.