•Some buildings demolished by the state govt
The Lagos State Government has issued a two-week ultimatum to property developers and owners at the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, to obtain proper building approvals and regularise their operations in line with existing physical planning regulations.
During the stated time frame, they are expect to approach the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to “regularise their approval status of their buildings”.
The state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, disclosed this in a statement today.
The demolition exercise around the trade fair area had been perceived as targeting a particular ethnic group by some aggrieved residents.
“All developers and occupants of structures within the Trade Fair Complex are hereby given a two-week ultimatum to approach the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to regularise the approval status of their buildings in line with extant regulations,” Olumide said.
“The Lagos State Government calls on all residents and stakeholders to cooperate with its ongoing efforts to ensure a safe, well-planned, and sustainable Lagos for all.”
Some popular figures, including Igbo leaders have faulted the demolition exercise.
The commissioner said land ownership and title are not in contention at the Trade Fair Complex, hence the need for all developers and occupants of structures to approach the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
According to him, the ongoing enforcement focuses solely on the approval status of physical developments, as every structure in Lagos State must obtain a valid planning permit from the ministry in accordance with the law.
The commissioner noted that the state government reiterates its zero tolerance for illegal and unapproved developments within the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, pending full compliance with planning regulations and the attainment of a safe, orderly, and sustainable physical environment.
“Over time, the Trade Fair Complex has degenerated into an enclave of haphazard and unsafe structures, posing grave risks to public safety and emergency response,” Olumide said.
He noted that the enforcement aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11) and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s T.H.E.M.E.S+ Agenda, which prioritise inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities.
Citing the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act (1992) and the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law (2019), Olumide said the state is constitutionally empowered to regulate physical development within its territory — including federal lands not used for exclusive federal purposes such as military bases.
“For clarity, land ownership and title are not in contention at the Trade Fair Complex. The ongoing enforcement focuses solely on the approval status of physical developments. Every structure in Lagos State must have a valid planning permit from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development,” he stated.
The commissioner stressed that after the two-week window, the government—through the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) — would resume demolition of non-compliant structures within the complex.
Recently, the state government demolished illegal structures in different parts of the state, including around the trade fair complex.
The demolition exercise around the trade fair area had been perceived as targeting a particular ethnic group by some aggrieved residents.
