Lagos initiatives repositions built environment

The Lagos State Government, under the Leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has introduced several strategic initiatives to reposition the physical planning sector for greater performance and enhance its governance.

This was made known by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, during the annual ministerial press briefing of the Office of Physical Planning at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa Ikeja on Wednesday.

The Commissioner said that the government considered it necessary to introduce new measures to upscale physical planning in Lagos State, enhance service delivery, and foster investment while addressing emerging challenges in the built environment.

According to a statement by the Director Public Affairs, Mukaila Sanusi, on Wednesday, the initiatives, which aim to strengthen the performance of the Operative Development Plans of the State and drive critical infrastructure development, include the revamped Inter-Agency Collaboration, the purpose of which is to streamline regulatory procedures, improve ease of doing business, and eliminating delays stemming from overlapping responsibilities among MDAs.

Another important measure introduced by the state government is the Lagos Physical Planning Summit, a biennial forum to galvanise stakeholders to explore strategies for addressing pressing issues of implementation, investment, sustainability, and physical planning service delivery.

True to the expectations, the maiden Lagos Physical Planning Summit,held in October 2024, set the right vision for the State Government as it recommended, among others streamlining Planning Permit processes to reduce bureaucracy and promote investment, reviewing the land tenure and environmental laws for effective urban development and adoption of modern technology in planning as well as the establishment of a high-powered implementation committee for Operative Development Plans.

In line with its theme ” Rethinking Lagos: A New Vision for a Regional and Integrated Megacity,” the Summit also recommended the integration of Lagos with neighbouring regions for economic and cultural synergy.

As part of measures to address some identified gaps and up the ante, Commissioner Olumide informed of the proposed creation of two new technical departments, namely Plan Monitoring and Implementation Department (PMI) and Planning and Design Department.
The Plan Mornitoring and Implementation Department will coordinate the implementation of Operative Development Plans across MDAs, while the Planning and Design Department will focus on innovative planning, research, and maintaining a robust Planning Studio for design archiving.

Additionally, the 180-Day Amnesty Programme was interoduced by the Sanwo-Olu Administration to enhance access to the Planning Permit services by allowing property owners and developers of existing buildings a window of opportunity to obtain their Planning Permits without paying the usual penalty that goes with building without approval.

The Amnesty window was graciously granted by Governor Sanwo-Olu in three phases of 60 days each, making a total of 180-day window from 2nd May – 31st December 2024. This initiative led to a significant rise in planning permit applications and revenue generation across LASPPPA District Offices.

To strengthen manpower and professional capacity, the government appointed 173 new Town Planning Officers, facilitated staff participation in professional conferences, and launched the Outstanding Officers’ Award to promote dedication and excellence in service.
These efforts reflect the Sanwo-Olu Administration’s commitment to a responsive, innovative, and people-centered physical planning sector.