The dust hadn’t yet settled on the morning hustle at Alaba Rago Market—a dense commercial hub in the Ojo area of Lagos—when traders were met with an unexpected order: vacate the premises within 24 hours.
The Lagos State Government, through its Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and Ministry of the Environment, issued a sweeping notice of closure, citing serious environmental infractions ranging from uncontrolled waste disposal to unsafe sanitation practices. The directive has sparked chaos, confusion, and deep concern among thousands of small traders whose livelihoods now hang in the balance.
“How can they give us just one day to leave?” asked Musa Gambo, a meat seller who has traded in the market for over a decade. “This is where we eat, sleep, and survive. Where are we supposed to go?”
Behind the Closure: A Boiling Environmental Crisis
Officials say the closure was not abrupt but the culmination of years of warnings and failed interventions.
A joint inspection carried out by the Lagos State Task Force, LASEPA, and the Waste Management Authority reportedly revealed:
- Open defecation and sewage discharge near food stalls
- Piles of uncollected garbage creating breeding grounds for disease
- Blocked drainage channels, worsening flood risk in surrounding areas
- Illegal slaughter slabs and animal waste runoff contaminating groundwater
“This is a public health hazard,” said Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, the General Manager of LASEPA. “We’ve given repeated notices and even provided support for cleaner practices. But the situation has deteriorated beyond what can be tolerated in a megacity like Lagos.”
Economic Fallout for Traders
Alaba Rago is not just any market. It’s one of Lagos’s oldest livestock and perishable food markets, hosting over 5,000 traders, many of whom are immigrants from Northern Nigeria.
Now, they face the grim prospect of economic displacement. The sudden closure has thrown logistics into disarray—animals remain unsold, cold storage is inaccessible, and transporters are stranded with goods that may spoil.
“My goods are still inside,” said Aisha Abdullahi, a tomato wholesaler. “We buy from the North and bring here. If I lose these goods, it’s not just money I lose—it’s months of effort.”
Government’s Plan: Sanitation or Gentrification?
While the government insists the move is purely environmental, some activists and local stakeholders believe this may be part of a larger plan to sanitize and commercialize the Alaba Rago area.
Urban renewal in Lagos often comes at the cost of informal markets and vulnerable traders. There are growing fears that the current closure could pave the way for high-end redevelopment, pushing out long-term traders who cannot afford the likely new rent structure.
“We’ve seen this story before—Kara Market, Computer Village, now Alaba Rago,” said Bolaji Akinlade, a market rights advocate. “The government calls it ‘development,’ but for the poor, it’s just another eviction.”
A Call for Dialogue
With just hours left on the clock, pressure is mounting on the Lagos State Government to extend the notice period and engage with market leaders in meaningful dialogue. Community leaders have appealed for a temporary reprieve to allow proper relocation or restructuring without destroying livelihoods.
Meanwhile, the traders have begun peaceful demonstrations, urging the government to consider a phased compliance plan instead of an abrupt shutdown.
“We want to do better,” said Malam Usman, head of the traders’ association. “But don’t destroy us in one day.”
Final Thoughts: Between Sanitation and Survival
Lagos, a city of over 20 million people, faces enormous challenges balancing urban cleanliness with economic inclusion. Alaba Rago’s environmental state may indeed require urgent attention, but how that attention is delivered could mean the difference between reform and ruin.
The next 24 hours will determine whether this is a story of necessary environmental justice—or yet another tale of marginalized communities crushed under the wheels of urban progress.
