By Anita Edeigba
Lagos State Government on Wednesday said it received 18,000 building permit applications in 2024, far below the 40,000–45,000 applications required annually to sustain orderly urban development.
The figures were released by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, at a news conference organised by the Ministry and the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPA) at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
Oluyinka noted that stronger participation from residents and developers was critical for long-term sustainability.
“It is important for us to continuously engage, particularly to address the low response and limited cooperation from the public,” he said.
The Commissioner stressed that state law made it mandatory for every building in Lagos to have an approved plan.
“Any building without a building permit is not recognised by law,” he explained, adding that such approval was vital not only for legal documentation but also for effective property management.
He likened the process to licensing a vehicle, saying: “You cannot drive a car without a licence; in the same way, you cannot put up a building in Lagos without a planning permit.”
Oluyinka urged developers and property owners to regard the permit system not as an obstacle but as a safeguard that protects both individual investments and the wider community.
He warned that structures erected without the necessary planning approvals are at risk of demolition.
The commissioner noted that the government has commenced a week-long stakeholders’ engagement aimed at addressing the deficit and raising public awareness, particularly among rural communities, about the importance of obtaining planning permits.
The engagement, which began earlier in the week and will conclude on Friday, September 26, 2025, includes sessions with professionals in the built environment such as town planners, architects, engineers, builders, surveyors, and estate developers.
Source; PM News
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