At least seven people have been killed after a residential building collapsed in a suburban neighbourhood in Nigeria’s main city, Lagos, officials have said.

A baby was among at least seven other people rescued from the three-story building in the Ebute-Meta area according to witnesses in the neighbourhood.

Ebute Metta is a thriving residential hub populated by many city workers and enroute the Apapa wharf.

The building caved in because of structural defects, officials added.

Lagos is one of the most overcrowded cities in Africa, with many badly built structures and poor safety standards.

Nigerian Red Cross official Oladimeji Ige said rescue operations were continuing as they suspected that more people were trapped under the building, AP (associated press) news agency reports.

He confirmed that an infant was among victims when the building caved in before dawn on Thursday.