Remapping Tenure Security: Land and Associated Vulnerabilities of Urban Poor Communities in Lagos, Nigeria
Prepared by Taibat Lawanson, Rebecca Roberts, Joseph Kayode Aro, Damilola Asaolu, and Ogochukwu Okanya; Prepared in collaboration with the Pro-poor Development Research Cluster, University of Lagos, Nigeria
The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of members of the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Residents Federation during the field surveys; and the community leaders and residents of Ago Egun, Ajegunle Ikorodu, Irede, Ilubinrin, Oju Olobun and Owode Mango who graciously opened their communities to us. The contributions of the Lagos State Lands Bureau and the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency who provided deep institutional insights for the study are well appreciated. We also acknowledge the intellectual contributions of participants at the various webinars convened in the course of this project. Finally, our sincere thanks goes to the Global Land Alliance and Prindex team who embraced the need for granular studies to enhance land tenure security for the urban poor and supported this project both financially and technically.
Executive Summary
As Lagos continues to experience rapid urbanization, the city's urban poor are becoming increasingly vulnerable to forced evictions and land tenure insecurity. Despite decades of land reform programs in Nigeria, formal pathways to secure land rights remain largely inaccessible to low-income populations. This tenure insecurity not only undermines the human rights of vulnerable residents but also severely threatens the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) regarding poverty reduction, gender equality, and sustainable cities. To bridge the gap between broad national statistics and the lived realities of the urban poor, this report presents a granular, micro-level examination of land rights and tenure security in Lagos. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study draws on data from 3,032 household surveys, over 70 key informant interviews, and gender-based focus groups across five highly vulnerable urban poor communities: Irede, Ago Egun Bariga, Ajegunle Ikorodu, Owode Mango, and Ilubirin.
Key Findings
• Formal systems are exclusionary: The formal land regularization process in Lagos is prohibitively expensive, deeply bureaucratic, and unfit for purpose for the urban poor. Consequently, most land is purchased or rented through customary and informal transactions with traditional land-holding families.
• Eviction threats drive poverty: Waterfront communities face constant, looming threats of forced eviction from both government agencies and private developers. These evictions, and the constant fear of them, predispose communities to precarious livelihoods, discourage investment in housing, and strip residents of basic socioeconomic stability.
• Systemic Gender Disparities: Women face intense socio-cultural and economic barriers to land ownership. Claiming land via marriage or inheritance remains difficult, and the heavy burden of unpaid care work leaves women with limited financial capacity to navigate the property market.
• COVID-19 exacerbated vulnerabilities: The global pandemic drastically reduced household incomes, further limiting the ability of the urban poor to secure decent housing, access basic infrastructure, or survive economic shocks.
• Social Capital is a primary safety net: In the absence of state protection, communities rely heavily on kin networks, faith-based organizations, and social mobilization (such as the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation) to negotiate land access, resist evictions, and pool resources for basic infrastructure like water and electricity.
Emerging Policy Recommendations
To move beyond policies that systematically marginalize the urban poor, this report advocates for a paradigm shift in how Lagos state and the Nigerian federal government approach land governance:
1. Adopt a "Fit for Purpose" Land Administration System: Recognize the continuum of land rights by establishing flexible, affordable, and pragmatic pathways to tenure security that accommodate customary and informal land agreements.
2. Revise the 1978 Land Use Act: Overhaul existing legislation to recognize the diverse stakeholders in the land delivery value chain, including local communities, civil society organizations, and traditional landholding families.
3. Simplify Land Regularization: Reduce the costs, hidden fees, and bureaucratic overlaps currently managed by the Lagos State Lands Bureau to make the titling process accessible to low-income residents.
4. Shift from Eviction to Inclusive Regeneration: Reframe urban renewal approaches—currently spearheaded by the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA)—from punitive slum clearance to participatory urban upgrading that prioritizes social protection and the "right to the city."
5. Embed Gender Considerations: Ensure that the specific needs of women, including female-headed households and widows, are explicitly protected in future land reforms and urban development processes.