In Benin, the beach is open and free, filled with Palm trees and very spacious. Meanwhile in Lagos, the moment you go to beaches like Elegushi, Oniru, you’re already calculating costs— entry fee, parking fee and sometimes even pictures. Sometimes you’re even asked to pay for chairs or a cabana and that’s before you’ve seen the ocean.

What annoys me isn’t even the money. It’s the feeling that something natural doesn’t belong to us. You pay, but the beach is still dirty. Toilets barely work. No clear maintenance. Yet you’re told the fees are for “security and upkeep.”

I get it, this is Lagos, a city with over 20 million people. Control measures are needed to avoid chaos. Since 2025, they’ve tightened regulations for safety, and honestly, I don’t mind security. What I mind is paying every time I want to breathe salty air like it’s a luxury experience.

There’s no real free public beach here. If you don’t want to pay, your only other option may be traveling to Badagry.

Watching that video just reminded me of something uncomfortable. In Lagos, even nature comes with a price. 

Should access to the ocean really be this expensive?