Lagos Removes Bottlenecks in Building Approval, Assures 10-Day Processing for Genuine Applications
The Lagos State Government has announced that all barriers hindering residents from securing building approvals have been removed, assuring that approvals are now issued within 10 working days once applicants submit verified and genuine documents.
It further disclosed that applications can now be processed online, provided they are accompanied by a government-approved survey plan, thereby eliminating stress and delays.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, made this known at the maiden quarterly media briefing on the state of Lagos’ physical environment held at the ministry’s conference room in Alausa, Ikeja.
According to him, more residents are showing interest in processing planning permits, as these documents are often required during embassy interviews or for loan applications.
He emphasized that no structural development would henceforth be allowed within the metropolis without evidence of tax payment, adding that compliance will simplify and fast-track approvals depending on the nature of each project.
Dr. Olumide revealed that the ministry will soon appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to extend the amnesty period for residents willing to regularize their building approvals, which was initially set from May to December 2024.
He also disclosed plans to establish a new agency to oversee informal spaces not captured in existing urban plans, including setbacks, high-tension areas, and gas pipeline corridors—covering over 3,000 hectares. The agency, according to him, will be launched by Governor Sanwo-Olu next month.
The commissioner added that areas reserved for strategic purposes such as parks and wetlands would also be closely monitored by the agency. He noted that the ministry will continue to partner with private organizations, citing Zenith Bank’s transformation of Ajose Adeogun Street in Victoria Island into a popular recreational attraction.
Commending the Technical Services Department for its support, Olumide said the department attends to at least 20 petitions daily, mostly concerning violations of Lagos State physical planning laws.
On the issue of illegal estates, he reaffirmed that the 176 estates earlier declared illegal remain so because they were built outside approved master plans, in violation of due process.
He challenged anyone from the affected estates who feels wrongly accused to come forward, stressing that possession of a Certificate of Occupancy does not exempt them from government enforcement.
Responding to concerns about the recent demolition in Iyana Oworo, Dr. Olumide explained that those affected were illegal occupants who had been adequately informed before the exercise.
He added that structures built under high-tension wires, along gas pipelines, on drainage channels, and within setbacks without proper engineering analysis pose threats to lives and would eventually be demolished.
