₦airaland Forum

The Lagos State government has promised to complete two housing projects in Abraham Adesanya extension , Ajah, and the Phase 2 LagosHoms in Sangotedo Ibeju Lekki with a combined total of over 2000 units before the end of the present administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Speaking during an inspection tour of the housing projects on Thursday, the Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, urged the contractors to speed up work on the projects.

Akinderu-Fatai said the government was closely monitoring the projects to ensure timely delivery and value for money.

According to the Commissioner, the housing developments are being executed through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements aimed at increasing access to affordable housing for Lagos residents.

He disclosed that four major housing schemes are currently ongoing across the state, with a combined capacity of over 600 housing units.

"It is the intention of this government to ensure that these projects are completed as quickly as possible before the end of this administration," he said.

The Commissioner, however, expressed concerns over the pace of work on some of the projects and revealed that the ministry had identified a number of technical issues requiring immediate attention.

"We are not completely satisfied with the current pace of work. We have noticed some technical issues which we will resolve with the contractors. We intend to intensify our inspections and push the contractors to meet the agreed timelines," he said.

He added that some of the projects could be ready for delivery between October and November this year if contractors improve their performance.

He warned that the state government would not hesitate to sanction or replace non-performing contractors.

"If the government has provided the necessary funding and a contractor is still not delivering as expected, we will take appropriate action. Contractors must cooperate with the government's determination to complete these projects," he stated.

The Commissioner explained that inflation and the sharp rise in the cost of building materials significantly affected project timelines, forcing contractors to seek cost reviews and extensions.

"These projects should have been completed about three years ago, but inflation and the increase in the prices of construction materials affected progress. We have addressed those challenges, and our focus now is on delivery," he said.

He reiterated the commitment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's administration to expanding housing infrastructure and ensuring that ongoing projects are completed for the benefit of Lagos residents.

Splashme:
The first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, on Tuesday, said that the cancellation of the Lagos metroline project in 1985 was a major mistake and disservice to many Nigerians.

Jakande spoke in Lagos during the launch of a book which chronicled his life in politics and journalism.

The book, entitled, ‘Jakande: Leadership in Action’ is written by Dr. Bola Olaosebikan, who told the audience at the event that the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), was not responsible for the cancellation of the project.

Jakande said, “Reflecting on the metroline project, I think it is a major disservice to many Nigerians. Imagine how many people would have benefitted. It would have made life easier and changed the face of transport in Lagos. Whoever cancelled it or gave the advice towards its cancellation didn’t do right.”

The former governor asked Nigerians not to vote for unserious leaders in the coming polls, saying the elections presented Nigerians with a good opportunity that should not be squandered.

Expressing the hope that Nigeria would soon overcome its developmental challenges, Jakande said hope would be actualised faster if credible people emerged as leaders in the next dispensation.

He said, “This book comes at a very auspicious time in Nigeria’s history as we need leaders who can act. We need leaders who would not compromise the standards of good governance. God has blessed this nation the most in Africa, although we have not reached where we should be; with the right leaders, Nigeria would overcome its challenges.”


http://www.punchng.com/news/cancelling-metroline-a-major-mistake-jakande/

eluquenson:
REVISITING SOME OF THE LATEEF JAKANDE'S GOVERNMENT ACHIEVEMENTS FROM OCTOBER 1979 TO DECEMBER 1983 (FOUR YEARS AND 3 MONTHS) IN LAGOS STATE

* His government built the current Lagos State Secretariat which houses all the state ministries as well as the popular round house hitherto occupied by all subsequent governors of the state.

* His government built the Lagos State House of Assembly complex.

* His government built the Lagos State Television

* His government built the Lagos Radio

* His government built Lagos State University

* His government established General Hospital in zones all over the state with assurance of free health care.

* His government established Teacher Training College and the College of Education.

* His government built low cost houses in Ijaiye, Dolphin, Oke-Afa, Ije, Abesan, Iponri, Ipaja, Abule Nla, Epe, Amuwo-Odofin, Anikantamo, Surulere, Iba, Ikorodu, Badagry, Isheri/Olowu, Orisigun etc.

* His government established the Water Management Board and Waste Disposal Board on the 18th of August, 1980.

* His government constructed the Adiyan Water Works to increase water supply in the state to 18.16 million litres per day.

* His government modernized and expanded the Iju Water Works which was first commissioned in 1915. This increased daily capacity from 159 million to 204 million litres per day.

* His government purchased and commissioned the giant car crusher equipment. The equipment was designed specifically to crush derelict vehicles in Lagos State. It had the capacity to crush 45 vehicles per day.

* His government constructed, rehabilitated and resurfaced Epe/Ijebu-Ode Road, Oba Akran Avenue, Toyin Street, Town Planning Way, Alimosho-Idimu-Egbe Road, Idimu-Iba-LASU Road, the new secretariat road and several others.

* His government constructed Victoria Island/Epe Road and thereby creating an ‘oil rig’ for Lagos State.

* His government established Asphalt Plant for the Department of Public Works.

* His government established Electricity Board for Rural Electrification with provision of street lights.

* His government modernized, expanded and commissioned Onikan Stadium in 1982.

* His government established a singular school system and ensured genuine free education in Lagos State and the beneficiaries of this policy are in different positions of eminence in the country and around the world.

* His government raised the primary schools in Lagos State to 812 with 533,001 pupils (against 605 primary schools with 434,545 pupils he met in 1979) and secondary schools to 223 with 167,629 students (against 105 schools with 107,835 students in 1979).

* His government constructed 11, 729 classrooms with the maximum of 40 children per class between March and August 1980, by 1983, he had constructed over 22,000 classrooms.

* In July 1983, two commercial passenger boats christened "Baba Kekere and Itafaji" to run the Mile 2 - Marina (CMS) route via the lagoons were inaugurated by his government to mark the official launch of the Lagos State ferry services.

* His government took over the ownership and financing of Lagos State Printing Corporation in July 1980

* His government established the first State Traffic Management Authority (Road Marshals).

* His government established small scale Industries Credit Scheme which preceded the EKO bank.

*His government established LASACO Insurance.

*His government expanded existing market and built new ones.

*His government established Traditional Medicine Board.

WHO SAYS 4 YEARS IN OFFICE IS NOT ENOUGH FOR MEANINGFUL ACHIEVEMENTS?

IT'S A FACT THAT 90% OF GOVERNORS IN NIGERIA SINCE 1999 WITH REVENUES AT THEIR DISPOSAL CANNOT BOAST OF A QUARTER OF THESE ACHIEVEMENTS EVEN WITHIN THEIR EIGHT YEARS IN OFFICE.

Justdogood:
In Nigeria we need high rising, apartment buildings. These 3 to 4 storey buildings are ok oooo. But cos of our massive growing population, we need from 20 to 40 storey buildings nowadays.

Wish our current leaders will understand this and change the way they build apartment buildings in growing cities

SixSeven:
Fact-checking current data from authoritative Nigerian news sources shows that the Sanwo-Olu administration has delivered 10,623 housing units over its seven years in office (2019-2026), which is a completely different scale of speed and volume compared to the historic, unmatched performance of Alhaji Lateef Jakande, who constructed over 30,000 low-cost housing units in just four years (1979-1983).

Independent reports estimate Lagos' housing gap at over 3.3 million units due to intense rural-urban migration. The current goal of 2,000 units in Sangotedo and Adesanya serves as a micro-fix rather than a structural solution to this deficit. The government has a projected ultimate goal of reaching 14,022 total home units by the time Sanwo-Olu's tenure concludes, relying heavily on the completion of the 2,000 lagging units currently stalled under contractors in Sangotedo and Abraham Adesanya. During the Jakande administration (1979-1983), the population of Lagos was approximately 2.5 million to 2.7 million people; today, in 2026, the population has ballooned to an estimated 17.8 million to over 21 million people depending on the demographic model used.

How we've not been able to beat a benchmark set over 50 years ago is surprising to me.

Asking why it has been impossible for the successive governments to surpass Jakande's fear, one of the factors was👇

frankputer:
This is massive.
Can other state government emulate this ?

AntiChristian:
The solution should be in your head but you seldom use it. Lagos as you said has high housing deficit due to migration from other states. This didn't start today. But still continues till tomorrow!

There are is little or no lands in Lagos to build such extensive housing like 50 years ago! Lagos is the smallest state in Nigeria! That's why it had to partner with other states with landmass for their agricultural benefits!

It think other states should buckle up and reduce the migration to Lagos and also encourage people to go back to their states!

EdiskyHarry:
Nice one, one thing I love about Lagos State govenors is the vision they have, not what we have in Akwa ibom State who will rather build stadiums, worship centers, 21 story building and many other useless projects for their own glory

EdiskyHarry:
Nice one, one thing I love about Lagos State govenors is the vision they have, not what we have in Akwa ibom State who will rather build stadiums, worship centers, 21 story building and many other useless projects for their own glory

femi4:
Audio housing unit...shared by touts

SixSeven:
While Lagos is undeniably Nigeria's smallest state by landmass, spanning roughly 3,577 square kilometers, blaming geography for a severe housing deficit is an evasion of governance duties. The fundamental breakdown in the housing sector stems from a lack of political will and a structural shift in economic priorities, rather than a mere influx of people.

International comparisons demonstrate that high population density within a small landmass does not inherently doom a city to a housing crisis. Singapore occupies a mere 734 square kilometers, a fraction of the size of Lagos, yet its government successfully provides subsidized public housing to nearly 80% of its citizens. Hong Kong faces extreme geographic constraints with its mountainous terrain and surrounding waters, yet its administration engineered massive vertical housing estates to shelter millions. These global hubs faced identical demographic pressures but chose to treat urban density as an engineering and policy challenge rather than an insurmountable obstacle.


https://www.tiktok.com/video/7496587126797176110

The current housing deficit persists because modern administrations have completely abandoned this social welfare philosophy. Today, the state relies heavily on public-private partnerships, outsourcing development to profit-driven corporations that naturally prioritize luxury duplexes over low-income flats. Furthermore, current government schemes require steep down payments and rigid mortgage qualifications that systematically exclude the informal workforce. The other day, I saw Lagos government partnering with acommercial real estate property developer and I was so sad. By transforming housing from a basic public service into a premium investment vehicle, the state has allowed commercial interests to dictate urban development. The government now relies on Public- Private Partnerships (PPPs). Private developers are in it for maximum profit. They will never build a #10 million flat for a low-income family when they can use that exact same land to build a 150 million luxury duplex in Lekki. Even current government schemes like Lagos HOMS require massive down payments and formal mortgage structures that 80% of the informal working class can never qualify for. Instead of building up the working class, we see aggressive demolitions of informal settlements to make way for premium estates, luxury developments, and sand-filled coastal expansions.

The current crisis is therefore the predictable result of policy choices that favor real estate speculation over civic responsibility.

Stop blaming the citizens who come to Lagos to hustle for a better life. Migration is a reality of every major economic hub on earth.

The difference between a functional mega-city and a housing crisis is political will. When leaders treat housing as a social duty rather than a premium investment vehicle, the problem gets solved. Until then, "too many people" is just an easy escape route for failed promises. APC as a party as failed to meet its own target. If the master planner had achieved his 45,000 units, he would have surpassed LKJ and we may not be talking about this today. Since 1999, all the APC governments combined have not achieved more than half of the 45,000 units Tinubu promised in 1999. Think about that. It's more about intentional policy than the excuses you are giving sir. The state government has taken policies that are anti-people and not welfarist. BTW, I do not disagree with you that the other states need to pull people out of Lagos but it's not an excuse, it's an opportunity to a state to attract people and tax them eventually.

ppogba:
Thank God even for little things.

The stadium built by your former Governor that you do not appreciate is why is presently saving Nigeria from disgrace among the comity of Nations.
If not for Goodwill Akpabio stadium, Super Eagles would have been playing their international matched in Benin Republic abi Cape Verde by now.

If you don't appreciate it, other Nigerians do.

frankputer:
This is massive.
Can other state government emulate this ?

Justdogood:
In Nigeria we need high rising, apartment buildings. These 3 to 4 storey buildings are ok oooo. But cos of our massive growing population, we need from 20 to 40 storey buildings nowadays.

Wish our current leaders will understand this and change the way they build apartment buildings in growing cities

frankputer:
This is massive.
Can other state government emulate this ?

Justdogood:
In Nigeria we need high rising, apartment buildings. These 3 to 4 storey buildings are ok oooo. But cos of our massive growing population, we need from 20 to 40 storey buildings nowadays.

Wish our current leaders will understand this and change the way they build apartment buildings in growing cities