Founder Paul Onwuanibe narrates the devastating economic and social impacts of Landmark Beach’s sudden demolition by the federal government.
Lagos, Nigeria – The demolition of Landmark Leisure Beach, a premier tourist destination in Lagos, has sparked widespread outrage, with the founder of Landmark Africa Group, Paul Onwuanibe, describing it as a devastating blow to investments, livelihoods, and the local economy.
Onwuanibe, speaking on The KK Show via YouTube on Sunday, revealed that the sudden demolition wiped out over $30 million in investments, displaced more than 1,000 direct employees, and disrupted an ecosystem that supported thousands of livelihoods.
The demolition, which took place in April 2024 under the orders of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, was reportedly carried out to clear land for the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project. Landmark Beach, the leisure division of the Landmark Africa Group, was built on the waterfront, a location the federal government claimed was within its right-of-way.
Massive Financial Losses
Providing a detailed account of the demolition, Onwuanibe stated that the beach site was acquired in 2006 for $17 million and later developed with a $30 million loan secured from foreign sources. He described the demolition as an event that erased years of hard work and substantial investments in mere hours.
“This was my life’s work—27 years of hunting, farming, and working,” Onwuanibe said. “Six years ago, we borrowed $30 million to develop that beach. Half of that money was spent on infrastructure you couldn’t even see, like underground drainage, water reticulation systems, and fiber-optic cables. The demolition wiped out six years of investment in six hours.”
Beyond the financial toll, the demolition left thousands of people unemployed. Onwuanibe revealed that over 1,000 employees working directly at the beach lost their jobs, alongside 50 small and medium enterprises operating within the facility. The ripple effects extended to over 4,000 people indirectly employed, many of whom depended on the beach’s thriving ecosystem.
“In Nigeria, with a dependency ratio of 16, the number of people affected is unimaginable,” he said. “The guy parking cars on the streets lost his job. The person selling sweets at the gate had no customers. Hotels built outside Landmark that thrived on the four and a half million annual visitors were affected.”
The abrupt nature of the demolition added to the chaos. Onwuanibe disclosed that businesses within the beach were unable to salvage their assets.
“Many businesses didn’t have time to remove their equipment—TVs, fridges, even furniture. There were guests in the pool when Breeze [a facility within the beach] was being demolished. It was tragic,” he recounted.
The demolition also disrupted operations for Landmark’s 160,000 members. With 9.2 billion Naira in members’ funds at stake and over 200 contracts for services like water supply, fumigation, and lifeguard duties, the sudden closure left Landmark with a logistical and financial nightmare.
“Sometimes, you wish there was a natural disaster so you could invoke force majeure, but this wasn’t the case,” Onwuanibe lamented.
Government Justification
The federal government justified the demolition by asserting that Landmark Beach was situated on its right-of-way for the Lagos-Calabar highway project. The Minister of Works, David Umahi, defended the action, announcing a N2.7 billion compensation package for affected entities. However, stakeholders argue that the compensation falls short of covering the immense losses incurred.
Despite the monumental setbacks, Onwuanibe has vowed to rebuild and move forward. “At some stage, you have to accept it and move on. You either lie down and cry or get up and go,” he said, emphasizing resilience and determination to learn from the experience.
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