Lagos State Government Set to Demolish $200 Million Landmark Beach Resort for Coastal Highway Project
The Lagos State Government has announced plans to demolish a section of the popular Landmark Beach Resort to make way for the construction of the coastal highway as part of the Lagos-Calabar road project.
A letter addressed to the proprietor of Landmark Beach Resort, Paul Onwuanibe, dated March 19, 2024, and signed by the Deputy Director (Development Matters Department), Tpl Shomolu O., on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, informed Onwuanibe that he had seven days to vacate his multimillion-dollar beach resort to facilitate its demolition.
Onwuanibe, aged 58, clarified that the government cited his Landmark Beach Resort, a premier destination frequented by approximately one million local and international visitors last year, as falling within the right of way of a proposed 700-kilometer (435-mile) coastal highway connecting the former capital city to Calabar, a port city near the Cameroon border.
Speaking to CNN, Onwuanibe disclosed that he acquired the land in 2007 before plans for the coastal highway were formulated. Upon receiving the demolition order, which also advised him to submit compensation claims, he experienced a mix of emotions, ranging from amazement to concern and disbelief.
The beach resort, valued at over $200 million, is host to more than 80 businesses, offering employment to over 4,000 individuals directly. Additionally, it contributes over 2 billion naira ($1.5 million) in annual tax revenue.
It’s noteworthy that the Lagos state government had publicized the company’s impending demolition through advertisements in two national newspapers.
Below is a copy of the letter:
