Landmark floating school in Lagos collapses

Residents of Lagos slum vow to rebuild floating school.

A floating three-storey school in the Lagos waterfront shantytown Makoko has collapsed during heavy rains, despite being built to withstand storms and floods.

There were no casualities in the collapse of the 200-sqm Makoko Floating School which was constructed in 2012 using locally-sourced wood and bamboo, resting on 250 recycled plastic barrels.

Locals have vowed to rebuild the award-winning school, which acted as a key source of education for the children of the 100,000-strong fishing community living in the slum.

Designed by Nigerian urban architect Kunlé Adeyemi with the Amsterdam-based firm NLÉ, the school served 58 children and belonged to other nearby school buildings whose total student population numbered around 260.

Adeyemi said the collapsed structure had been used "intensively" over the past three years and he appealed for funds from local government authorities to help build a new school for the Makoko community.

The collapse of the school is also seen as a blow to the future of the vast floating slum which has been fighting to avoid demolition since being declared illegal by the state government in 2012.