VENICE OF LAGOS - Reviving the fishing culture in Makoko through Aquaponics

Abstract

Lagos, Nigeria is a rapidly growing mega-city that faces issues such as overpopulation, pollution, waste management, sanitation, poverty among a host of others. The coastal nature of Lagos causes the city to experience annual flooding with rising sea levels, cities need to start thinking of ways to adapt to such changes.

Makoko is a small fishing community in Lagos located on the Lagos lagoon, best known for its homes on wooden stilts. It is also one of the biggest and most prominent slum communities in Lagos which also boasts of a vibrant fishing and lumber industries. The fishing and lumber markets within this community are its major economic drivers, these markets attract costumers from all around Lagos and this ensures the survival of most of the inhabitants. It is also the major reason for the growth and sustenance of the community. This illegal settlement is also located on one of the most desired waterfronts and have been constantly met with threats of eviction by the government.

This Thesis explores the local economic drivers and local constructing techniques in play with Makoko, with an emphasis on tapping into the local fish and Timber industry for sustainable solution to some of the major problems within the community; Fishing practices, food security, Flooding and Accessible Water. It looks to study these problems to use them as guides in proposing a low-cost, easy to build architectural solution centered on community participation and local building techniques.

This project will study the local economic drivers within Makoko, as well as its construction industry and building techniques in order to propose a general upgradation strategy. This would be centered on the use of Aquaponics and the key technology to improve fish practices as well as help with food security and as a result improve the living standards and live quality. These interventions also help in preserving the knowledge of indigenous fishing and construction techniques.