Lagos beach break becoming too expensive for locals

News Lagos beach break becoming too expensive for locals Beachgoers play at Takwa Bay beach in Lagos, Nigeria, 28 June 2026.   -   Copyright © africanews Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. By Rédaction Africanews with AP Last updated: 24/07 - 15:49 Nigeria Weekends for Mukthar Oladunmade typically featured a visit to the beach since he was a child. Living in the bustle of Lagos, he prefers unwinding on the breezy Atlantic shoreline that surrounds the city. But these days, a beach break away from Nigeria’s commercial hub is becoming too expensive for many of the people who live there. Costs include fees for entry, chairs, food, drink, and activities as the local government increasingly hands over more of the shore to private developers. “By virtue of my job, I've been to Somone, Dakar, Lome, Accra, and Cotonou, several West African countries. And there, it's way easier to just wake up and walk onto the beach because it's free,” said the 27-year-old writer. In Lagos, however, much of the coastline is no longer free public space. In addition to the ticket to get onto the beach, a whole economy has grown around them with items costing a lot as they are privatised. “On average, I spend $18 when I think of coming to the beach. So, having to factor that into my expenses, it makes it difficult to want to get up in the morning to come here,” Oladunmade said. He said these costs are creating a class barrier where some people that can experience the nature and the beauty of Lagos, while others cannot. “The minimum wage here is around 70,000 naira and today alone I've spent more than half of that just coming to the beach for one day out of 30 days in the month,” he said. For more than a decade, the city’s government has set its sights on making Lagos a “megacity” in the light of Dubai or New York, attracting tourists and international businesses. Much of the 180-kilometre-long coastline is being privatised for exclusive urban residences and public-private enterprise. As a result, going to the beach has become a very costly endeavour for Lagos residents, most of whom work in the informal sector “There are people that can unplug from the stress of Lagos. They can go to beaches, to very expensive restaurants, go around and just try to deplug from everything, whereas there are people that can't do that,” said Oladunmade. For Lagos state, however, the gamble is paying off. It generated $1.9 billion in internal revenues last year, a 16 per cent increase from 2024. You may also like 01:27 Haiti mourns victims of Kenscoff gang attack as fear grips community 16 minutes ago 01:14 Spain PM Pedro Sanchez rules out Moroccan role in Ceuta migrant surge 1 hour ago 01:10 Algeria moves to restore death penalty for deliberate forest fires 1 hour ago From the same country 02:18 Nightlife thrives in deeply religious northern state of Nigeria 28/08 - 14:29 Nigeria orders manhunt after deadly mass kidnapping 26/08 - 10:23 01:40 Thousands gather in Lagos Nigeria to celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s birth 26/08 - 10:24 View more Share More About Lagos beach Poor expensive privatization development You may also like 01:27 Haiti mourns victims of Kenscoff gang attack as fear grips community 16 minutes ago 01:14 Spain PM Pedro Sanchez rules out Moroccan role in Ceuta migrant surge 1 hour ago 01:10 Algeria moves to restore death penalty for deliberate forest fires 1 hour ago From the same country 02:18 Nightlife thrives in deeply religious northern state of Nigeria 28/08 - 14:29 Nigeria orders manhunt after deadly mass kidnapping 26/08 - 10:23 01:40 Thousands gather in Lagos Nigeria to celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s birth 26/08 - 10:24 On the same subject SPORT 02:05 Nigerian youngsters learning boxing on the streets of Lagos 01/08 - 10:05 NEWS 02:17 Women sand miners toil stripped Cape Verde beach 17/07 - 16:23 NEWS 01:00 Heavy rainfall triggers widespread flooding in Nigeria 08/07 - 16:50 NEWS 01:53 First group of Nigerians repatriated from South Africa arrive in Lagos 11/06 - 21:38 THIS IS CULTURE 02:31 Nigerian museum revamp amplifies calls for return of looted treasures 09/06 - 17:52 NEWS 00:34 Teachers protest schoolchildren kidnappings in Nigeria 02/06 - 20:52 More stories 01:25 General Abdourahamane Tchiani Calm returns to Niger's capital one day after failed army mutiny 8 hours ago 01:02 Coup Vote counting underway in Guinea-Bissau referendum that could expand presidential powers 7 hours ago 00:56 United Kingdom Notting Hill Carnival kicks off in a burst of colour and Caribbean tradition 3 hours ago