Lagos Reads Riot Act on Building Permits, Warns Illegal Structures Risk Demolition

 

By Kayode Olopade 

The Lagos State Government has raised alarm over a widening shortfall in building permit approvals, warning that structures erected without proper documentation face demolition.

Speaking at a press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, revealed that only 12,000 planning permits were approved in 2024 — far below the 40,000 to 45,000 permits required annually to match the state’s rapid urbanisation.

“The deficit of over 22,000 permits annually is unacceptable. Any structure without approval stands the risk of being pulled down,” Dr. Oluyinka warned.

To address the gap, the ministry has embarked on a week-long stakeholders’ engagement programme, which runs until Friday, September 26, 2025. The sessions target professionals in the built environment — architects, engineers, surveyors, estate developers, builders and town planners — as well as rural communities where compliance awareness is low.

The Commissioner noted that many Lagosians, including market women and residents in peri-urban areas, remain unaware that planning permits are a legal requirement. He likened their importance to a birth certificate, stressing that every building must be duly documented for recognition, safety and future development.

“Just as every child receives a birth certificate, every building must have a planning permit for proper documentation, legal recognition and future planning,” he explained.

Oluyinka further highlighted the broader benefits of compliance, noting that valid permits aid infrastructure planning, serve as legal proof of ownership, and can be used as collateral for bank loans. He cautioned that buildings without permits may be excluded from future urban renewal initiatives such as road expansions and infrastructure delivery.

He added that the state has begun sensitising school children and grassroots communities on the importance of permits, describing them as “the future leaders who must grow with a culture of compliance.”

While assuring residents of continued advocacy, the commissioner insisted that enforcement measures — including demolition of illegal structures — remain on the table to safeguard the state’s development plans.