Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has accused Landmark Africa of “land grabbing” alongside the Lagos beachfront and threatened authorized motion towards its Chief Executive Officer, Paul Onwuanibe, over claims concerning the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway’s affect on the enterprise.
Umahi made the remarks throughout an interview on Arise News on Friday morning, October 23, 2026.
The minister disputed Onwuanibe’s account of the losses Landmark incurred after the Federal Government demolished constructions throughout the freeway’s proper of method, insisting that the federal government had taken steps to guard the corporate’s fundamental amenities.
Umahi Challenges Landmark’s Land Ownership
Umahi challenged Onwuanibe to make public the corporate’s Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) and different paperwork establishing its authorized title to the affected land.
- “He was land grabbing,” Umahi mentioned, referring to Landmark’s occupation of parts of the beachfront affected by the undertaking.
- “Let him publish his C of O,” the minister added.
Umahi maintained that the Federal Government had adjusted the freeway’s route round Landmark’s everlasting constructions to keep away from destroying its fundamental amenities.
- “We saved his permanent structure,” he mentioned, arguing that the demolished constructions consisted largely of “shanties” alongside the beachfront moderately than the corporate’s principal improvement.
The minister’s feedback adopted claims by Onwuanibe concerning the affect of the freeway undertaking on Landmark’s enterprise and the losses ensuing from the demolition.
Umahi Questions Landmark’s Reported Losses
Umahi additionally challenged the figures related to Landmark’s monetary losses, pointing to what he described as inconsistencies between the corporate’s reported funding worth and the quantity it mentioned it had misplaced.
He mentioned Onwuanibe had beforehand referred to investments value about $250 million however had extra not too long ago cited losses of roughly N42 billion following the demolition.
- The minister questioned the idea of the figures and rejected the suggestion that the federal government had arbitrarily destroyed a reputable funding with out regard for possession or compensation rights.
- Umahi mentioned smaller companies and different affected occupants deemed eligible for compensation had been recognized and paid.
- He maintained that the affected folks had been enumerated and that funds had been made instantly into their financial institution accounts.
The minister described the compensation course of as clear and mentioned the federal government had taken steps to handle claims from eligible occupants.
Umahi additionally warned that he might pursue authorized motion if Onwuanibe continued making statements he thought of deceptive.
- “If he doesn’t refrain from misleading the public, I may take him to court,” he mentioned.
What you must know
The disagreement over Landmark Africa’s beachfront property and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway dates again to May 2024, when Umahi mentioned the corporate had no declare to the 250-metre shoreline forming half of the undertaking’s proper of method.
At the time, the minister accused the property homeowners of taking part in politics and interesting to public sentiment over the demolition.
Umahi maintained that the federal government had made efforts to spare Landmark’s infrastructure and that the core of the ability had been preserved.
- “No claim for Landmark. He has no claim. We spared all his infrastructure; we don’t pay for shanties. The shanties are on our Right-of-Way which is 250 meters from the shoreline. So, he has no claim,” he mentioned in May 2024.
- He added that the federal government had made efforts to guard the corporate’s fundamental amenities, saying, “We made all the efforts to spare all his infrastructure and that is why I say he is a politician while I’m an engineer. I don’t know the attention he is seeking.”
Onwuanibe had referred to as on the Federal Government to reroute the coastal freeway, warning that demolishing the property would result in the closure of greater than 80 companies working throughout the resort.
He additionally estimated that the event might outcome within the loss of about 12,000 direct and oblique jobs.
