Lagos State Planning Laws are set for strict enforcement as the government moves to regulate informal spaces across the city. Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, announced the initiative, emphasizing the ministry’s mandate to ensure orderly land use and urban growth.
Under the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law, 2019 (as amended), the ministry will tackle unauthorized occupation of road setbacks, walkways, under-bridge areas, drainage corridors, and undeveloped public land. Dr. Olumide explained that such unplanned use threatens safety, mobility, and the environment.
“The intervention is not merely regulatory but strategic,” he said, highlighting plans to enhance urban aesthetics, improve functionality of public spaces, and protect the physical environment. The ministry aims to achieve integrated development while curbing unregulated activities in key city corridors, gateways, and transitional zones.
Authorities plan extensive stakeholder engagement, involving government agencies, market associations, transport unions, and community leaders, to foster cooperation and compliance. Dr. Olumide stressed that the approach will be transparent, lawful, and sustainable, leveraging professional planning tools and inter-agency collaboration.
The move is expected to boost mobility, safety, environmental quality, and overall liveability, aligning with Lagos’ vision for a resilient, inclusive, and well-planned megacity.
