LAGOS, Nigeria — The Lagos State Government has raised concerns over the growing number of buildings without planning approvals, revealing a significant shortfall of over 20,000 permits annually.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press briefing at Alausa, Ikeja, as part of a week-long stakeholder engagement initiative aimed at addressing gaps in planning permit applications across the state.
According to Oluyinka, the state recorded only 12,000 planning permit approvals in 2024, a figure far below the estimated 40,000 to 45,000 approvals required annually to match Lagos’s rapid urban development and population growth.
“We are still below the average mark. This huge deficit indicates a lack of public awareness or willingness to comply with the permit process. That is why this stakeholder engagement is critical,” the Commissioner said.
He warned that buildings constructed without valid planning permits are at risk of demolition, reiterating that such structures are in violation of the state’s physical planning laws.
As part of efforts to bridge the gap and educate residents—especially in rural communities—the state has initiated a comprehensive sensitization campaign. The engagement includes interactions with professionals in the built environment such as town planners, architects, engineers, builders, and estate developers, as well as outreach to schools and markets.
“We started the week with a debate session involving students. Today, we are engaging the press, and by Friday, we’ll host a broader forum with stakeholders from across the building industry,” Oluyinka said.
The Commissioner emphasized that many residents, including market traders and rural dwellers, remain unaware of the importance of obtaining planning permits. He likened the permit to a birth certificate for buildings, essential for government documentation, infrastructure planning, and legal property recognition.
“A planning permit ensures orderliness in development and enables the government to plan for infrastructure such as roads and utilities. It also provides legal backing to a property, which can be useful in securing bank loans or settling ownership disputes,” he noted.
Oluyinka stressed that compliance with planning regulations is not optional but a legal obligation under Lagos State laws.
“Every building is expected by law to have a planning permit. Without it, the property is essentially unrecognized by the government, which can have serious implications for future developments,” he warned.
He also highlighted the long-term strategy of engaging youths and grassroots communities to cultivate a culture of compliance among the next generation of developers and property owners.
The week-long engagement will culminate on Friday, September 26, 2025, with a high-level stakeholder session aimed at proposing actionable solutions to streamline the permit process and boost public compliance.
