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Lagos to start online land transactions next year — Sanwo-Olu
By Emmanuel Awosika
Starting from next year, Lagos will start online land transactions, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said on Wednesday.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the move was designed to reduce time wasted in trying to get approvals on and land-related matters and improve the property development market in Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu spoke at the Real Estate Marketplace Conference and Exhibition, organised by the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA).
He revealed that the State Department of Lands was prepared to transition to the digital platform, adding that the plan was near completion.
According to him, the online platform will remove the need to submit documents in person before obtaining approvals for surveying and building approvals or Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).
Instead, all payments and submission of documents will be done by applicants from their homes, he explained.
Sanwo-Olu stressed that the new plan will improve turnaround time and also bolster private investors’ confidence in creation of a home ownership model that addresses deficits in housing.
He said: “We have improved on our GIS solutions to accelerating land matters in Lagos. From the first quarter of next year, we will be launching an online platform on which all land transactions will be done. When the project kickstarts next year, there will be a one-stop shop for all transactions relating to land, including Governor’s approval on C of O, and building approval by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
We have given our commitment on this, because of the need to improve the turnaround time from when people submit their requests for approval and the time the authorisation is completed. We cannot afford to disappoint private investors and applicants seeking real-time approval. We are raising our capacity, so that we can respond to requests and discharge them.”
The Governor further urged residents and property developers against cutting corners to obtain approval, adding that it would stall the approvals of impatient applicants.
