Lagos moves to seal 176 estates over non-compliance with approval laws

The Lagos State Government has warned that it will shut down no fewer than 176 estates across the state for failing to comply with statutory approval requirements despite repeated opportunities to regularise their status.

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, disclosed this during the ministry’s maiden quarterly stakeholders’ meeting. He said the state had extended multiple “amnesty windows” to developers, but many had refused to seize the opportunity to align with the law.

“With the expiration of this grace period, the government has no choice but to seal these illegal estates,” Olumide stated, stressing that it remains unlawful to commence construction without requisite authorisations.

He also cautioned prospective property buyers to demand proper documentation before investing, warning that failure to do so could result in heavy financial losses if such projects were later declared illegal.

Outlining the legal requirements for estate development in Lagos, the commissioner noted that developers must first provide proof of land ownership, either through a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) or Governor’s Consent where ownership has changed hands.

Developers are mandated to submit a Tax Clearance Certificate, an Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, Report, as well as obtain a Planning Permit from the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, LASPPPA. This process requires stamped architectural, survey, and structural drawings, among other supporting documents and statutory fees.

The commissioner explained that approved drawings must carry the signatures and seals of a registered architect and a COREN-certified structural engineer, while the survey plan must be duly registered in the state’s land database.

Other compulsory documents include a Deed of Assignment, evidence of Land Use Charge payments, development levy receipts, and proof of compliance with tax obligations. These, he noted, are necessary to guarantee both legal ownership and safe, sustainable construction.

He urged Lagos residents to be vigilant when subscribing to new estates, stressing that only developments that meet these requirements would be recognised by the state.