Lagos Infrastructure Needs Outpace Available Funds, Hamzat Says

Lagos Infrastructure Needs Outpace Available Funds, Hamzat Says
Says Lagos Needs More Funds for Maintenance
Lagos Needs Integrated Road, Drainage Planning to Prevent Flooding

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has said the state requires a significantly larger budget to keep pace with its growing infrastructure and social service needs.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that Hamzat said the increasing population and expanding demands for transportation, housing, healthcare, education and other essential services had placed enormous pressure on the state’s available resources.

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Speaking on Fresh FM at Oregun, Ikeja, on Monday, the deputy governor said although the government was investing heavily in infrastructure, the resources at its disposal remained insufficient to meet the scale of the state’s needs.

He said the cost of rehabilitating roads across Lagos had risen considerably, recalling that estimates as far back as 2011 had put the cost at more than N700 billion.

Hamzat also identified the Fourth Mainland Bridge as one of the major projects requiring substantial financial commitment.

He said the Lagos State Public Works Corporation had expanded its road maintenance teams from 14 to 34 teams of engineers responsible for identifying and rehabilitating damaged portions of roads across the state.

Lagos Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat and APC governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat presenting the official results of the Lagos APC gubernatorial primary to President Bola Tinubu

According to him, Lagos currently has about 9,911 roads, all of which require regular maintenance.

Hamzat, however, said road construction in Lagos could not be approached solely from the perspective of vehicular movement because of the state’s terrain and susceptibility to flooding.

“When we do roads in Lagos, we do not just move vehicles; we move water,” he said, stressing the need for drainage and flood management to be incorporated into road infrastructure planning.

He said the government must consider where water originates, where it would be discharged and whether adequate drainage channels exist to prevent flooding.

“Lagos must not sink. We must look into our drainage to ensure that there is no overflow,” he added.

The deputy governor also stressed the importance of developing technical expertise among professionals handling infrastructure projects, saying Lagos required people with a deep understanding of its unique environmental and developmental challenges.

Hamzat dismissed claims that government projects were concentrated in areas such as Lekki and Ajah, saying the administration had deliberately distributed development across the mainland and island.

“There is no local government that we haven’t touched. However, the resources available to the government remained inadequate compared with the scale of infrastructure needs across Lagos,” he said.

On housing, Hamzat said Lagos needed to develop a functional mortgage system that would enable ordinary residents to own homes without exhausting their income and savings.

He noted that many families struggle to complete housing projects because of the high cost of construction, leaving them with limited resources for other necessities such as education.

The deputy governor said the housing challenge in Lagos had become more complex because of rapid population growth and limited availability of suitable land.

He contrasted the current situation with the era of former Governor Lateef Jakande, when Lagos had a smaller population and more land was available for housing estates and schools.

Hamzat cited the Babatunde Raji Fashola Estate in Iponri as an example of the challenges involved in developing housing in Lagos, noting that the estate was constructed on a waterlogged area.

He consequently called for innovative housing solutions and effective financing mechanisms to expand access to affordable home ownership.

On education, Hamzat defended the quality of public education in Lagos, rejecting claims that the standard had deteriorated. He said the state government would continue to invest in the sector as part of efforts to prepare residents for the future.

Ahead of the 2027 governorship election, Hamzat, who is the APC governorship candidate, said he would draw on his years of experience in government to advance development across the state if elected.

He said his experience as Commissioner for Science and Technology, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure and deputy governor had given him a first-hand understanding of Lagos’ challenges.

Hamzat pledged greater attention to healthcare, infrastructure, housing, education and other sectors that directly affect residents.

He also highlighted the ongoing construction of hospitals and doctors’ quarters at the General Hospital, Ojo, saying the projects were aimed at improving the working environment for medical professionals and strengthening healthcare delivery.

“There is plenty to do, and knowledge is about experience. We are going to try our best in doing what will better the majority of Lagosians,” Hamzat said.