75% of Lagos buildings lack approval, says govt

A larger chunk of buildings in Lagos lack the required approvals for construction, the state government has lamented, revealing the records show 75 per cent.

Vowing decisive measures of the state to address the alarming figure, the state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, at a news conference in Ikeja, the state capital on Wednesday, expressed concern over the significant number of unapproved constructions, outlining strategies in view by the state government to ensure compliance with existing regulations.

This is as the government announced the upcoming Physical Planning Summit, set for October 15 and 16 in Lagos, planned to gather stakeholders from both public and private sectors to discuss strategies for improving the state’s development.

With the theme “Thinking Lagos: A New Vision for a Regional and Integrated Megacity,” the summit aims to tackle the pressing challenges in physical planning facing Lagos.

Olumide stated, “Our current building approval rate in Lagos is under 25 per cent, which is significantly lower than the national average of 18 to 28 per cent, with the highest being 32 per cent.”

He emphasised the importance of securing approvals for every building, likening the necessity of approval to every person having a name.

He highlighted that certain buildings are earmarked for demolition due to non-compliance with regulations, including structures built without approval, those located under high-tension power lines, and buildings constructed on drainage paths or gas lines.

“We are committed to addressing these challenges head-on,” he said.

He added, “The summit will serve as a platform to develop actionable plans to improve compliance and enhance the urban landscape.”

Olumide noted the urgency to rethink urban planning strategies as Lagos continues to grow as a megacity,

With the state’s land area fixed at 3,577 square kilometers—75 per cent of which is water— and rapid population growth presenting significant stress on land and infrastructure, the Commissioner said “We must devise effective plans to manage our available land resources.”

“The summit will shift our approach from a bottom-up to a higher-order strategy,” he said.

Emphasising the importance of community engagement, citing the Badagry masterplan, he mentioned “We need to consult with local communities, particularly fishermen, to understand their challenges and determine how we can support them through adequate facilities.”

“The plans we develop should be a shared responsibility between the government and the community,” he mentioned.

According to him, the timeline set for the plans spans 10 to 20 years.