…….Town planners advocate stronger local government participation and stricter enforcement against illegal developments across Lagos.

The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Lagos State Chapter, has called for greater involvement of local councils in physical planning to promote sustainable urban development.

The institute made the call during its 2026 pre-Annual General Meeting in Lagos.

The chapter’s chairman, Oladele Akindele, said physical planning responsibilities at the national, state and local government levels should remain distinct but interconnected.

He urged the Lagos State Government to expand public-private partnerships (PPPs) in implementing master plans, model city plans and other lower-order development plans.

According to him, PPPs would reduce the government’s financial burden and support the timely execution of planning projects.

NITP Supports Urban Renewal Projects

Akindele acknowledged the progress made by the Office of Urban Development under the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

He said the award of regeneration and urban renewal projects to indigenous planning firms could improve urban development, residents’ socioeconomic conditions and the state’s environment.

The chairman also called for stricter action against illegal developments, particularly in areas undergoing regeneration.

“We implore the government to ensure that such developments are removed at the early stages of construction, and not when they have been completed and, in some cases, occupied,” he said.

Institute Endorses Certified Accreditors Programme

Akindele expressed support for the state’s recently introduced Certified Accreditors Programme (CAP).

He said the programme was designed to strengthen building regulation enforcement, increase inspection capacity and promote safer construction practices.

The initiative, he added, could also help reduce the economic losses and social disruption associated with building collapses and government demolitions.

The NITP’s position comes amid ongoing discussions about strengthening physical planning, urban renewal and construction monitoring in Lagos State. 

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The Lagos State Government has sealed more than 20 properties in Ikeja Local Government Area for violating physical planning regulations, as authorities intensify enforcement of planning laws to promote orderly urban development and reduce the risk of building failures. The exercise was carried out by the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) as part of its ongoing compliance drive.

The affected properties include undeveloped plots, buildings under construction, and structures with unauthorised extensions that were found to be in breach of the Lagos State Physical Planning Law. Officials said the enforcement action followed routine inspections aimed at identifying developments that failed to obtain the required planning approvals before construction.

Speaking during the exercise, Permanent Secretary of the Office of Physical Planning, Olayinka Wasiu, said compliance with planning regulations is essential to preventing building collapse, protecting lives and property, and ensuring sustainable physical development across the state. He noted that property owners and developers must obtain the necessary permits before commencing any construction activities.

LASPPPA also reiterated that enforcement measures are intended to encourage voluntary compliance rather than punish developers. The agency urged owners of affected properties to regularise their documentation and comply with planning requirements before resuming construction or occupancy.

Urban planning professionals have welcomed the renewed enforcement, arguing that strict compliance with planning laws is necessary to improve public safety, preserve infrastructure, and support sustainable urban growth. They also called for faster permit approval processes and greater public awareness to encourage compliance and reduce illegal developments.

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The Federal Government plans to introduce a comprehensive Climate-Smart Building Code to establish sustainable construction standards, strengthen national infrastructure resilience, and enhance environmental performance across the built environment. This regulatory framework addresses structural vulnerabilities by guiding architects, engineers, and developers through advanced practices in energy management, material selection, and climate adaptation. Authorities expect the upcoming guidelines to transform residential, commercial, and public construction projects nationwide.

Rapid urbanization and population growth place immense pressure on metropolitan centers, increasing local vulnerability to extreme heat, flooding, and changing weather patterns. To mitigate these risks, the new standards enforce minimum rules that minimize greenhouse gas emissions and reduce overall utility consumption. Industry specialists note that adopting eco-friendly development models lowers operational costs, improves long-term property durability, and helps local communities adapt safely to evolving environmental conditions.

Resource optimization remains a foundational element of the state’s modern urban policy, as buildings traditionally account for a substantial percentage of domestic energy demand. The updated framework introduces mandatory water conservation measures, waste reduction strategies, and strict insulation standards to encourage the widespread integration of energy-saving technologies. These systematic efficiency metrics provide significant economic relief to homeowners, private enterprises, and public institutions by curbing ongoing maintenance expenses.

Recent ecological disasters underscore the urgent necessity for upgraded construction methodologies to shield localized populations from severe economic loss. The policy updates integrate enhanced drainage designs, flood-resistant engineering protocols, and climate-responsive site planning to safeguard vulnerable settlements. By embedding strict resilience rules directly into the national building regulations, policymakers aim to improve disaster preparedness and secure long-term metropolitan investments against environmental hazards

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Property owners along Oyinkan Abayomi Drive in the highbrow Ikoyi axis of Lagos State are appealing to the federal government to immediately suspend an ongoing coastal engineering development because they fear severe environmental degradation. The affected members of the host community state that the continuous sand-filling of the local water body has significantly altered the area’s natural hydrological dynamics. According to the distressed landlords, the coastal modification restricts the outward flow of storm runoff, which causes unprecedented flash floods to submerge residential buildings following routine downpours.

Residents report extensive structural and material damages to their properties, as floodwaters breach ground-floor living areas, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Community leaders argue that while the developers might have conceptualized the infrastructure project under the guise of providing shoreline protection or expanding urban real estate, its execution yields hazardous consequences for the existing neighborhood. Beyond the immediate threat of seasonal inundation, homeowners express profound frustration over a total disregard for local peace because heavy dredging equipment operates continuously throughout the day and night.

The persistent nocturnal operations subject families, including vulnerable and elderly occupants, to debilitating levels of noise pollution. In light of these challenges, the neighborhood demands an independent review of the project’s regulatory compliance, specifically questioning whether the developers obtained authentic environmental impact assessments prior to altering the shoreline. Industrial specialists maintain that large-scale coastal modifications require rigorous hydrological mapping and robust drainage corridors to prevent localized ecological backlash.

As pressure mounts on the state’s coastal borders due to rapid urbanization, local administrators face rising scrutiny over waterfront allocations. The community insists that relevant authorities must put further engineering activities on the site on hold until environmental protection agencies complete a transparent investigation. Representatives emphasize that stakeholders should not prioritize sustainable metropolitan expansion at the expense of public safety, and they demand a collaborative framework that protects both real estate investments and the well-being of existing host communities.

The post Ikoyi Lagoon Reclamation Project Draws Calls for Urgent Probe appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

The Lagos State Government has expanded its ongoing land mapping and formalisation project as it moves to capture an estimated ₦3 trillion worth of undocumented land assets currently outside the state’s official records.

The initiative, approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is aimed at identifying, documenting, and integrating informal landholdings into the formal economic system, a move the government says will unlock significant dormant value, strengthen urban planning, and boost internally generated revenue (IGR).

Officials at the Lagos State Valuation Office disclosed that the scope of the project has grown beyond its initial target. What began as a mapping exercise covering about 2,000 hectares has now been expanded to 3,744 hectares of undocumented land located in strategic and high-value parts of the state.

The exercise involves comprehensive land mapping, valuation, and registration, targeting parcels that have historically existed outside government databases due to weak documentation, informal transfers, or long-standing community ownership structures.

Speaking on the project, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Physical Planning, Engr. Olumide Sotire, described land as Lagos State’s most critical economic asset. He said formalising land ownership remains central to attracting private investment, improving infrastructure delivery, and addressing persistent urban planning challenges.

According to Sotire, undocumented land represents “dead capital” that neither benefits landholders nor contributes meaningfully to economic development. Without formal titles, property owners are unable to use land as collateral to access credit, limiting small business expansion and stifling real estate development.

To ensure effective coordination, Octragon Multi Projects has been appointed as the lead consultant for the exercise, working alongside relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The consultant is expected to support valuation processes, data harmonisation, and integration into the state’s land administration framework.

The government expects the land formalisation drive to deliver multiple benefits. Beyond expanding the state’s revenue base through land-related taxes and charges, the project is expected to enhance security of tenure for property owners, reduce land disputes, and increase investor confidence in Lagos’ property market.

The initiative also aligns with the state’s broader fiscal strategy. Lagos recorded a 45 percent increase in internally generated revenue in 2024, reaching ₦1.3 trillion, according to the Commissioner for Finance, Abayomi Oluyomi. The ₦3 trillion land asset project is viewed as a key pillar for sustaining revenue growth in 2025 and 2026.

At the national level, the Lagos programme dovetails with the Federal Government’s land reform agenda. Backed by a World Bank-supported framework announced in late 2024, the national objective is to register all land titles in Nigeria within five years.

Currently, more than 90 percent of land across the country remains undocumented, representing an estimated $300 billion in untapped economic value. Lagos’ aggressive approach to mapping and valuation positions the state as a frontrunner in implementing the national land formalisation framework.

Analysts say successful execution of the project could provide a stable foundation for urban renewal, infrastructure financing, and improved housing delivery. For investors and policymakers, the initiative is expected to serve as a benchmark for how sub-national governments can leverage dormant assets to fund development without increasing debt.

As Lagos continues to grow as Africa’s largest city, the state government maintains that fixing inefficiencies in land administration remains critical to sustainable urban expansion and long-term economic resilience.

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