The Lagos State Government has issued a fresh warning to estate developers against bypassing planning regulations and misusing land designated for other purposes.
The warning came about a month after the government publicly listed 176 “illegal” estates operating approved layouts.
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Speaking during a stakeholder briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, said recent inspections revealed widespread non-compliance in several areas, especially Ibeju-Lekki, Eti-Osa, and adjoining communities.
According to him, many developers have been converting agricultural and industrial land into residential estates without securing the necessary layout and planning approvals. Some of these illegally partitioned lands, he noted, have already been sold to Nigerians in the diaspora despite their unsuitability for housing development.
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He stated that tracts of land were not endorsed for use by the ministry and would not get the necessary planning packages .
“Before you go into estate development, you are supposed to obtain your layout approval. And what we’ve seen so far, particularly around Lekki axis, Eti-osa, and Ibeju-lekki area is that people have gone to purchase those (parcels of) land for the purpose of estate development.
“A lot of money has been committed into this area, and it will be difficult for those people to come back and say they want to show up in that area, because they will not be able to get a planning package out of that,” he said.
Mr Olumide said the ministry recently issued public notices to offending developers, giving them 21 working days to obtain approvals. While some have complied, the commissioner warned that others risk having their estates sealed and declared illegal.
“We went out very aggressively, and we collated some estates, even the cases of some that actually commenced the processes, but they did not finish it all. And that was why we went out and we made that publication.
“And we gave them 21 working days to enable them to effect the regularization of their various approvals. Some of them have responded, and we are already commencing the process of collecting all the approvals,” he said.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Lagos State Government listed 176 “illegal estates” without layout approvals in its domains in the state in August. The government issued a 21-day ultimatum to their developers and promoters to regularise their operations by obtaining proper layout approvals.
Lower threshold for approval
Mr Olumide also disclosed the ministry has begun a process to recognise houses that were originally built independently but have now come together to operate as estates, particularly for security and community management purposes.
He explained that modalities have been mapped out to reassess and approve such requests, stressing that the move will help regularise developments and ensure better planning.
Previously, only developments on a minimum of one hectare of land (10,000 square metres) qualified for layout approval for estate development. However, with the growing influx of residents into estate development, the ministry has now reduced the threshold to 5,000 square metres.
“With the current influx and move into estate development, we are reducing that now to 5,000 square meters. So, if you have a development now on a land of 5,000 square meters and above, you will be qualified to have a layout approved before you go into the independent planning permit,” he said.
The commissioner also highlighted the importance of producing guiding documents such as regional plans and model city plans, which serve as critical frameworks for regulating estate development across the state.
According to him, these planning documents remain key to guiding its activities and ensuring orderly growth within residential communities.
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Lagos’ illegal estate problem
Lagos, Nigeria commercial nerve centre is experiencing a boom in estate development to cater to the city’s rising population. However, this expansion is often at the expense of lands ear marked for agricultural and industrial purposes.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the state government declared 176 estates “illegal” for not possessing an approved layout. The developers were issued a 21-day ultimatum to regularise their operations or face sanctions.
Beyond the encroachment on scarce farmlands, poorly planned estates often create additional problems such as flooding, disrupted drainage systems, and blocked waterways. Also, individuals who invest in these estates face disputes and litigation when these properties are eventually demolished.
