Femi Ashekun/
The Lagos State Government has warned that the state may be facing a looming sand shortage as authorities move to address concerns over indiscriminate dredging and insufficient data on the scale of sand extraction across the state.
The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dayo Bush Alebiosu, raised the alarm while presenting his ministry’s scorecard at the annual ministerial press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja.
According to the commissioner, the growing depletion of sand deposits in parts of Lagos is already forcing developers handling major reclamation projects in the Lekki and Ajah corridor to source sand from distant communities in Ikorodu, in some cases pumping sand across distances of up to 12 kilometres.
Alebiosu said the development reflects mounting pressure on available sand resources within the state and highlights the urgent need for tighter regulation and more reliable data on dredging activities.
“For me, it confirms my fears,” he said. “If you are reclaiming land in Ajah and you now have to pump sand from Ikorodu, it means the sand resources within Ajah are gradually running out.”
The commissioner disclosed that the state government is becoming increasingly cautious in issuing dredging licences and permits because authorities currently do not have sufficient data on how much sand is being extracted daily, the number of active operators, and the quantity of sand still available across various locations.
“We need proper data. We need to know how many people are dredging, how much sand is being dredged daily, and what is left within those areas,” he stated.
He noted that while dredging remains important for land reclamation and infrastructure development, unchecked extraction could create serious long-term environmental and economic consequences for Lagos.
The commissioner warned that worsening sand scarcity could significantly increase the cost of construction materials and infrastructure delivery, thereby placing additional pressure on housing and real estate development across the state.
Beyond construction concerns, Alebiosu also linked indiscriminate dredging to threats against food security, particularly for fishing communities whose livelihoods depend heavily on healthy aquatic ecosystems.
According to him, aggressive dredging disrupts marine habitats and aquatic microorganisms, forcing fishermen to travel farther and spend more resources before making catches, a development he said contributes to the rising cost of fish in local markets.
“It is putting food security at risk,” he said. “We are encouraging people to consume more protein, such as fish, but whenever dredging disturbs aquatic life, fishermen are forced to work harder, and naturally, the cost of fish goes up.”
The commissioner also disclosed that several waterfront communities are suffering infrastructural damage linked to dredging operations and the movement of heavy-duty equipment.
He identified Ibese in Ikorodu as one of the communities where roads and other public infrastructure have reportedly deteriorated because of intensified dredging activities.
Alebiosu reiterated that the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development remains the agency legally empowered to regulate sand dredging and sand dealing activities across Lagos State.
He added that the ministry works closely with the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, alongside host communities, to tackle illegal dredging through monitoring, enforcement operations and whistleblowing mechanisms.
“We thank the communities that alert us whenever illegal activities take place. Enforcement is continuous because many of these operators try to hide their activities,” he said.
The commissioner further noted that some illegal dredging operations continue to thrive because of the financial incentives attached to the business, with certain residents allegedly collaborating with operators despite the long-term environmental implications.
Reacting to the involvement of foreign nationals in illegal dredging activities, Alebiosu insisted that local collaborators must also share responsibility.
“We cannot continue blaming foreigners alone. We must ask ourselves how they got there in the first place. They definitely have the connivance of some locals,” he added.
The state government reiterated its commitment to strengthening oversight of dredging activities in order to protect waterfront communities, preserve marine ecosystems and ensure the sustainable use of the state’s natural resources.
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