By Abbas Nazil
Sand dredging is rapidly reshaping the coastline of Lagos, threatening fragile ecosystems and undermining the livelihoods of thousands of poor fishing families.
Across Lagos Lagoon, men stand waist deep in murky water beneath bridges and expressways, lowering buckets to extract sand that feeds the city’s relentless construction boom.
The activity is driven by soaring demand for sand used in concrete for roads, bridges and luxury waterfront developents spreading across reclaimed land.
Local dredgers say the work has become a major source of income in a city with limited employment opportunities.
Akeem Sossu, a 34 year old informal dredger, dives repeatedly into the lagoon for short intervals, hauling up buckets of sand that are loaded into wooden boats.
He says each boatload earns him and his partner about 12,000 naira each after selling to middlemen who supply larger construction buyers.
The price of sand has climbed steadily as development accelerates, with a 30 ton truck of sharp sand now selling for roughly 290,000 naira.
While the dredging fuels Lagos’ growth, fishermen and environmental researchers say the environmental cost is becoming impossible to ignore.
The lagoon, which buffers a megacity of about 17 million people, is increasingly fragmented by sandy patches that narrow channels and disrupt natural water currents.
These changes are especially visible around Makoko, one of Lagos’ oldest fishing communities built on stilts above the water.
Residents say dredging barges now operate dangerously close to their homes while reclaimed land and upscale developments squeeze the community from all sides.
Community leader Baale Semede Emmanuel says dredging has destroyed fish breeding grounds and driven fish away from traditional fishing areas.
Fishermen report that the noise and suction from dredging pipes scare fish off and sometimes trap them directly.
With catches shrinking, many fishermen are forced to travel farther offshore, raising fuel costs and increasing exposure to dangerous waters.
Some have abandoned fishing altogether, turning to trades such as mechanics to survive.
Joshua Monday, a fisherman from Makoko, says fuel for a single fishing trip can cost more than 150,000 naira with no guarantee of a catch.
He says wealthy developers reclaim land while fishing communities are pushed aside with little choice but to relocate.
Dredgers acknowledge that informal payments to enforcement agencies allow many operations to continue despite regulations.
Environmental advocates warn that such practices blur the line between legal and illegal dredging.
Lagos State authorities have promised crackdowns, citing links between dredging, erosion and worsening floods.
However, community leaders say enforcement remains inconsistent and easily undermined.
Scientific studies back fishermen’s concerns, showing high water turbidity, seabed instability and reduced flood protection in dredged areas.
Experts warn that removing wetlands weakens the lagoon’s natural ability to absorb floodwaters.
As Lagos continues to grow, the struggle between development and survival along its coastline is intensifying.
