Lagos State pays ₦3.1bn to 331 owners of land and buildings acquired for roads

• Lagos has paid ₦3.1 billion in compensation to 331 property owners affected by road projects.

• The affected properties were located in Badagry, Epe, Ikorodu, Igbogbo and Ogba.

• The government said claims were verified through enumeration, valuation and title confirmation.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has presented ₦3.1 billion in compensation to 331 property owners whose land and buildings were acquired for infrastructure projects across the state.

The governor disclosed this in a statement on his official X account on Monday, July 20, describing the payment as part of efforts to ensure fairness and accountability in the execution of public projects.

According to Sanwo-Olu, the affected properties were located in Badagry, Epe, Ikorodu, Igbogbo and Ogba, areas where various infrastructure developments are currently being implemented.

The beneficiaries reportedly include owners of ancestral land, residential buildings and business premises affected by projects such as the construction of Igbe-Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way in Ikorodu, road realignment in Agric-Isawo-Konu-Arepo, arterial road upgrades in Epe, and the construction of Hospital Road in Badagry.

The governor said every claim was subjected to a verification process involving enumeration, valuation by professional estate surveyors, and confirmation of title, to ensure only legitimate property owners were compensated.

Based on the figures announced, ₦3.1 billion was distributed among individual beneficiaries, and the actual amounts have varied depending on property size, type, and location.

This is not the first time compensation figures in Lagos have drawn scrutiny. In 2024, property owners affected by the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project publicly described a similar government compensation package as grossly inadequate, calling for a review of the payment.

Separately, residents of Oworonshoki, whose homes were demolished in 2023, spent more than a year demanding compensation before payments began in October 2025. Those payouts reportedly ranged from ₦250,000 to ₦5 million, depending on the size and condition of the property affected, figures far below the average recorded in Monday's disbursement.

Sanwo-Olu described the latest compensation exercise as a matter of justice rather than charity, stating that affected persons were entitled to payment under the Land Use Act, which grants government the authority to acquire land for public interest projects while placing a corresponding obligation to compensate owners.

He added that officials from the Lagos State Lands Bureau would continue to guide beneficiaries on documentation, and assured property owners whose claims are still being processed that no genuine case would be left unresolved.

The governor said the acquired lands would be used to improve road connectivity, ease traffic congestion and support economic activity across the affected communities, describing the projects as part of a broader effort to balance infrastructure growth with the interests of residents directly affected.

READ NEXT: ‘I risked my life for peace’ — Goodluck Jonathan reveals the dangerous move he made for Niger Delta