The Lagos State Government began the demolition of the remaining 360 degrees buildings on Monday, 20th of September, 2022. The two buildings being demolished currently serve as the remnants  of the 360 degrees development after one of the buildings collapsed in November 2021. 

360 degrees comprised one 21-storey and two 15-storey towers  with 39 units of  apartments. Prices of these apartments at the start of the project were US $900,000 dollars, however, the starting price had risen to a range of US $1.2 million dollars to US $1.53 billion before the collapse.

This 21-storey building which collapsed in November 2021 claimed the lives of more than 40 people – including the building’s owner. The developer was said to have exceeded the limit of the building’s approval which was originally set at 15 floors.

Following the collapse of the 360 degree building in November, the government stopped all construction work and closed the site to the public. The demolition is the final step in the government’s plans to completely remove the high-risk development.

Since November, several other buildings have collapsed in Lagos state, with the recent one being the Oniru building collapse. This last occurrence resulted in the resignation of the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Idris Salako.

So far, Lagos State has recorded the highest number of building collapses in Nigeria, estimated at 315 collapses between 1974 and July 2022 according to the Building Collapse Prevention Guild.  We estimated an average of 4.8 collapses each year in the past 5 years in our previous article.

 The Lagos State Building and Control Agency (LABSCA) has carried out several demolitions in the city. They also have further plans to demolish buildings in areas like Lagos Island and Isolo. In addition, notices of demolitions have been served to several other old buildings especially in areas like Ebute-Metta.