Umahi accuses Landmark Africa of land grabbing in Lagos coastal highway row

Nigeria's Minister of Works, David Umahi, has accused Landmark Africa of land grabbing along the Lagos beachfront and threatened legal action against its chief executive, Paul Onwuanibe, over the developer's account of the damage the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has done to its business.

Umahi made the remarks in an interview on Arise News on Friday, 23 October 2026. He disputed Onwuanibe's account of the losses Landmark incurred after the federal government demolished structures within the highway's right of way, insisting that the government had taken steps to protect the company's main facilities and had adjusted the road's alignment around its permanent structures.

The minister challenged Onwuanibe to make public Landmark's Certificate of Occupancy and other documents establishing its legal title to the affected land, and questioned the figures the company has put forward. He said Onwuanibe had previously referred to investments of about $250 million but had more recently cited losses of approximately N42 billion following the demolition.

Umahi described the compensation process as transparent and said the government had taken steps to address claims from eligible occupants, warning that he could pursue legal action if Onwuanibe continued making statements he considered misleading.

The dispute dates back to May 2024, when the minister said Landmark had no claim to the 250-metre shoreline forming part of the project's right of way and accused the property owners of playing politics. Onwuanibe had called on the federal government to reroute the highway, warning that demolition would lead to the closure of more than 80 businesses operating within the resort and the loss of about 12,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The row has returned to the centre of the coastal highway debate as the government presses ahead with the project and developers seek clarity on compensation and title over beachfront parcels along the route.