$200 Million Landmark Beach Resort Faces Demolition For Coastal Highway

$200 Million Landmark Beach Resort Faces Demolition For Coastal Highway

The Lagos State Government has announced its plans to demolish the $200 million Landmark Beach Resort to make way for the proposed 700-kilometer coastal road linking the state to Calabar…….READ ALSO LASG To Demolish $200 Million Landmark Beach Resort For Coastal Highway Project

Paul Onwuanibe, the proprietor of Landmark Beach Resort, revealed in an interview with CNN that the resort’s interference with the proposed path of the coastal highway is the primary reason behind the demolition.

Onwuanibe stated that he received a notice to evacuate the multimillion-dollar beach resort within a seven-day period to prepare for its imminent demolition.

The Landmark property, valued at over $200 million, accommodates over 80 businesses, sustains more than 4,000 jobs, and contributes over N2 billion in taxes annually.

As a prominent tourism destination in Nigeria, the beach resort attracts approximately one million visitors annually, comprising both locals and foreigners.

Onwuanibe clarified that he acquired the land in 2007, long before plans for the coastal highway were conceived, expressing mixed emotions upon receiving the demolition notice and indicating his intention to seek compensation.

International and domestic investors within the Landmark Group are considering withdrawing their investments should the beach resort, which includes amenities such as a mini-golf course, beach soccer field, volleyball, and basketball court, be demolished.

“People who contribute to the city’s effectiveness will be very concerned. It will pose a huge threat to inward investment into the state and, most importantly, pose a threat to people who are already in the state trying to do things,” Onwuanibe stated.

The Lagos State Government had earlier disclosed its intentions to demolish all “illegal” structures along the proposed route of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, notifying owners of affected properties of their removal.

The construction plans for the 103km segment of the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a joint effort between the Federal Ministry of Works and the Lagos State Government, were outlined in announcements published on March 15 and 16, 2024.

The notice informed recipients that their property falls within the project’s right-of-way alignment and must be removed to facilitate the construction process.