Planning violation: Lagos demolishes 17 buildings, seals 52 Properties
Lagos State Government has intensified its campaign against illegal developments, demolishing 17 buildings and sealing 52 others for violating physical planning regulations across the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Abiodun Oluyinka Olumide, disclosed this during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing held in Alausa, Ikeja, where he presented the ministry’s scorecard for the third year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term.
According to the commissioner, the enforcement actions were carried out following investigations into numerous public complaints and development disputes reported to the ministry.
Olumide revealed that the ministry’s Technical Services Department received 987 petitions within the review period, resolving 399 cases through mediation and compliance measures, while 519 petitions are still under investigation.
“As part of our enforcement activities, 17 structures were removed and 52 others sealed for various planning infractions,” he said.
He noted that the ministry’s interventions have helped to reduce litigation, minimise conflicts arising from enforcement actions and strengthen public confidence in the state’s physical planning framework.
The commissioner also highlighted significant achievements in urban planning, including the completion of three key development frameworks the Lagos Island Model City Plan, the Ibeju-Lekki Model City Plan and the Revised Badagry Master Plan.
He explained that the plans would serve as strategic guides for infrastructure provision, land-use management and sustainable urban development across the state.
In its monitoring and compliance drive, the ministry inspected 205 housing estates and emerging communities to ensure adherence to approved layout plans and development standards.
To protect residents from fraudulent real estate schemes, Olumide disclosed that the government published a list of 176 illegal estates operating without approved layout plans, urging prospective property buyers to verify planning approvals before investing.
The commissioner further stated that the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority processed 21,603 planning permit applications between June 2025 and March 2026, approving 17,279 of them.
He attributed the increase in compliance partly to a 60-day amnesty programme introduced between October and December 2025, which attracted 7,198 permit applications and resulted in 4,113 approvals.
Olumide also announced the successful deployment of the Electronic Physical Planning Permit Processing System (e-PPPS), a digital platform that enables applicants to process planning permits online from any location.
According to him, the initiative has significantly improved transparency, efficiency and ease of doing business, while reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks in the permit approval process.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enforcing planning laws and promoting orderly, sustainable development as Lagos continues to expand as a megacity
