Front View of Article Dealers Shopping complex, Badagry Expressway
Due to what it described as severe structural defects and safety concerns, the Lagos State Government (LASG) has ordered the immediate demolition of the Article Shopping Complex located in Satellite Town (Oriade Local Council Development Area), exactly opposite Lagos Trade fair complex on Badagry Expressway.
The directive issued on July 2, 2026, and made available to Business Hilights.ng, by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) followed a rigorous on-site enforcement inspection on first and second of July, 2026.
It would be recalled that following the last week’s collapse of a three-storey building at Alakija, LASBCA decided to conduct checks on market structures on the Lagos –Badagry Expressway including the Article Shopping Complex and Odu-Ade Building Materials Market on first and second of July. The checks resulted in the official decision to demolish Article and observe about 12 three-storey buildings at Odu-Ade for some time before final decision.
The Key Enforcements & Ultimatums Issued After LABSCA Checks Are:
1. Article Shopping Complex (Satellite Town): Slated for immediate demolition after official inspection revealed massive foundational flaws and widespread defects as 12 days are given to traders to evacuate their goods. There is no option of renovation but outright demolition after 12 days from 2nd of July.
2. Agric & Coker markets (Odu-Ade area): Given a strict 14-day ultimatum. Property owners must conduct and submit professional structural integrity tests to LASBCA or face prosecution.
3. Coker Market Commercial Buildings: The agency inspected 12 three-storey commercial properties that had already suffered partial structural failure but were still active with traders.
On the official position of the government, the Director of Quality Control and Post-Construction for LASBCA’s Badagry Division, Mr. Kolawole Williams, argued that renovations or repairs by market leaders cannot substitute for official structural assessments. The government reiterated that human life will not be prioritized over livelihoods, and district officers will continue monitoring and pulling down heavily distressed structures across Lagos to avert further disasters.
Already, several traders at Article Shopping complex, who spoke to our correspondent, said they have been doing serious repairs worth millions of Naira at the market since last year only to be told that a market they have salvaged will be demolished.
The traders revealed that their market leaders had last year levied each shop N50,000 and another N25,000 earlier this year making N75,000 for repairs of the clusters.
Many of them expressed reservations on the effective use the funds raised for the renovations, alleging selective renovation instead of general.
However, a trader who pleaded anonymity confided in our correspondent that the leadership of the market have concluded plans to approach the relevant agencies of the state government with proofs of renovation works they have been doing and those they are to do in coming days before the demolition order. The another trader also added that apart from going to the agencies, they will visit the state Governor to make a passionate appeal and show evidences of several repair works we have been doing in the market.
