Lagos Issues Final One-Week Ultimatum to Unapproved Estate Developers

The Lagos State Government has issued a final one-week deadline to estate developers operating without approved layout plans, warning that failure to regularise their planning documents will attract strict sanctions.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, delivered the warning on Tuesday during an on-the-spot enforcement and sensitisation exercise across parts of the Eti-Osa corridor. He said the ultimatum follows the expiration of an earlier grace period granted to flagged estates to bring their documents up to standard.

Olumide emphasised that the state has repeatedly insisted that estate developers obtain proper approvals before embarking on land subdivision, sales, or construction. Despite multiple notices, several estates continued operations in violation of planning regulations.

“The government will no longer tolerate developments that compromise orderly and sustainable urban growth,” he warned.

The commissioner stressed that the one-week notice is the final opportunity for defaulting estates to submit their layout plans and secure the necessary approvals. After the deadline, the state will impose penalties ranging from heavy fines to demolition, depending on the scale of violations.

He also urged prospective homebuyers to conduct due diligence before investing in any estate, stressing the importance of verifying planning status to avoid financial losses. Olumide reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enforcing planning laws to protect the environment and ensure organised development across Lagos.

During the exercise, the enforcement team visited locations including Whiteoak Estate 2, behind VGC, and Elite Garden Estate, developed by Bosmark Haven Properties Limited, also near Victoria Garden City.

Earlier, the state identified 176 illegal estate developments—mostly in Eti-Osa, Ajah, Ibeju-Lekki, and Epe—and issued a 21-day ultimatum to obtain layout approvals. These estates, listed in a document released by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, were flagged for operating without authorised layouts.

According to the Permanent Secretary, Office of Physical Planning, Engr. Oluwole Sotire, the illegal estates undermine sustainable development principles and contravene the state’s T.H.E.M.E.S Plus agenda.

He noted that owners were instructed to submit relevant documents to the ministry in Alausa, Ikeja, within 21 days for processing. Sotire added that the enforcement is a routine mandate to regulate public and private estate development and promote a functional, orderly, and resilient smart city.

He further emphasised the need for all developers and practitioners to register with the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA), which oversees regulation and monitoring of the real estate sector.

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