Social media in Lagos erupted after police and heavy equipment showed up and a short while later began demolishing a street of shops and small businesses in Ikoyi. Among them was one owned and very recently opened by 2014 Tutu Fellow Ada Osakwe. The shop, Nuli Juice, was just six weeks old. Local news reports report that officials said the landlord had been given notice after non-payment of taxes. Osakwe said that she had paid all taxes relevant to running an eatery with no notification of impending action.
Nigeria is currently in recession and the demolishing of the row of businesses raises a number of questions. These include how seriously the government takes promises made during the elections of fostering small business as a driver of growth; the rule of law and process when it comes to private property; and the impact of action like this on attracting foreign investment.
The National Bureau of Statistics shows that in 2013, micro, small and medium enterprises in Nigeria contributed 48% to the nation’s GDP. A total of 59.7 million people, representing 84.02% of the total labor force, were employed by these SMEs.
There has been no official response in the media as to why the businesses were given no notice prior to the bulldozers demolishing the street, nor why a less permanent solution to the situation was not sought first. Lagos law requires notices to be served on illegal structures and occupants that include a 2-Day Contravention Notice, a 7-Day Demolition Notice prior to demolition.
You can read more of Osakwe's account of what transpired when the demolition occurred at Pulse Nigeria.
Nigerian television covered the story on the programme Rubbin Minds.
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