7 hours ago
1
The Lagos State Government has announced that all commercial buildings exceeding two floors will now be required to carry compulsory insurance coverage as part of ongoing efforts to enhance urban safety, planning compliance, and risk management across the state.
The policy was revealed at the 2025 Real Estate Discussions and Awards held in Lagos, an event organised by Thinkmint Nigeria, where stakeholders in housing, land administration, and urban planning gathered to discuss emerging trends in the real estate sector.
Delivering one of the keynote presentations, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Enterprise Geographic Information System, E-GIS, and Urban Development, Dr Olajide Babatunde, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming land administration and physical development through technology, transparency, and sustainable practices.
According to him, the state, working with international development partners, has completed a comprehensive digital mapping of Lagos to support the full rollout of the E-GIS.
The new platform, he said, will enable instant land searches, digital certification, online applications, and real-time verification of property ownership and planning approvals.
“Lagos will soon commence compulsory insurance for all multi-storey commercial buildings above two floors. The state will also begin land and building regularisation through a 300-property pilot scheme in Epe,” Babatunde said.
He added that a new electronic planning permit system will allow compliant developers to obtain building approvals in as little as 10 minutes, a move aimed at drastically reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks and curbing corruption in the approval process.
Babatunde, however, warned against double allocations, forged survey documents, and unapproved constructions, revealing that the government has begun a statewide physical planning audit. Non-compliant developers, he stressed, would face strict penalties.
He urged property owners, investors, and residents to verify all land titles, survey plans, and building permits before engaging in any transaction, saying the government remains committed to ensuring orderliness and legal compliance in land use and development.
“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu remains fully committed to expanding access to land for sustainable development. Through the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, we have intensified regeneration efforts in Katangua, the relocation of Okobaba sawmillers to Agboyi, and several site-and-service projects designed to optimise land utilisation,” he said.
He also disclosed that Lagos currently operates under multiple inherited land title regimes, including Queen’s Titles, Federal Titles, and State Titles, and that the government is now consolidating them into a single transparent land ownership framework to eliminate duplication and strengthen investor confidence.
Corroborating Babatunde’s remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Physical and Urban Development, Olumide Sotire, emphasised the need for stronger inter-agency collaboration and professional compliance to manage Lagos’s rapid urbanisation.
He noted that population growth and internal migration have led to unplanned settlements and mounting pressure on housing and infrastructure, calling for strict adherence to physical planning regulations to ensure orderly and sustainable city growth.
Sotire highlighted ongoing projects such as the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway expansion, and the Lagos Rail and Water Transport Systems as catalysts for new investment corridors and regional integration.
He also advocated green architecture, climate-resilient infrastructure, and smart city designs, describing sustainability as the foundation of Lagos’s future planning vision. He also noted that the E-GIS system would be pivotal in promoting transparency, efficiency, and accountability in land management across the state.
Lagos govt enforces mandatory insurance for multi-storey commercial buildings
