The Lagos State Government has announced that it granted approvals for 37,266 buildings over the past six years, under its ongoing efforts to broaden the scope and reach of its planning permit system.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, made the disclosure on Wednesday during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing held at Alausa, Ikeja.
The permits covered a wide range of property types, including residential, commercial, mixed-use, institutional, and other classifications. In 2024 alone, the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) issued approvals for 95 hospitals, 27 petrol stations, 151 shopping malls, and 95 schools.
Olumide explained that a surge in permit approvals was largely due to a special amnesty programme, which ran from May to December 2024. The initiative allowed property owners with unapproved developments to regularise their status.
He raised alarm over a growing trend of property developments being illegally sited on lands earmarked for agricultural use, especially in Ibeju-Lekki, Epe, and Ikorodu. He urged prospective land buyers to conduct proper verification before making purchases, warning that some developers and landowners are misleading the public.
“The amnesty programme was implemented in three phases and produced encouraging outcomes,” he said. “Between May and July 2024, LASPPPA granted 2,151 approvals. From August to October, 6,402 applications were received, with 3,570 approved.”
“The final phase, which ran from November to December, recorded 7,210 applications and 3,135 approvals. Altogether, the scheme processed 18,489 applications and issued 8,856 permits.”
He cautioned, “Most lands in Ibeju-Lekki, Epe, and Ikorodu are designated for farming, yet they are being sold by ‘omo onile’ to unsuspecting buyers. People need to consult the Ministry of Physical Planning to confirm land use before making any purchase.
“Many of these lands have been acquired by the government for agricultural purposes, but estate developers are convincing people to buy them for residential development.”
Olumide also attributed some of the delays in processing permit applications to incomplete documentation, particularly the absence of tax clearance certificates, and to attempts by applicants to develop land zoned for other uses.
On internal operations, the commissioner reported that the ministry received 95 petitions in 2024 and 2025, mostly filed by members of the public against individuals, government agencies, or public officers.
“Of these, 35 petitions have been resolved with decisions issued. Another 32 were dismissed after petitioners either failed to respond or opted to pursue legal channels. The remaining 28 are currently under review,” he said.
He added that the state had appointed 173 new town planning officers, supported staff participation in industry conferences, and launched an Outstanding Officers’ Award to recognise exemplary service and dedication.
“These measures demonstrate the Sanwo-Olu administration’s drive to build a physical planning sector that is proactive, transparent, and responsive to the needs of the people,” Olumide concluded.
