The Lagos State Government has declared its intention to implement decisive regulatory measures over informal public spaces throughout the state. This initiative is a core part of its physical planning and urban development mandate for the coming year.
Formalising the Informal: The Legal Mandate
Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, the State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, made this announcement yesterday while presenting the ministry's strategic direction. He stated that the ministry will exercise the full authority granted by the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law of 2019 (as amended) to bring order to land use and ensure sustainable urban expansion.
"The Law gives this ministry the statutory duty for physical planning, managing land use, coordinating development, and regulating spatial activities statewide," Olumide explained. "These responsibilities clearly include the administration of informal spaces."
Targeting Unplanned Occupancy for Safety and Aesthetics
The commissioner defined informal spaces as public open areas not originally intended for permanent use but which are increasingly being occupied without official planning approval. He highlighted specific concerns including:
- Uncontrolled use of road setbacks and walkways.
- Occupancy of areas under bridges.
- Encroachment into drainage corridors.
- Unofficial use of undeveloped government land.
According to Olumide, these activities present significant risks to public safety, hinder free movement, and damage the environment. The planned assumption of full administrative control is designed to strengthen land-use planning, achieve integrated urban development, and curb unregulated activities in key corridors, gateways, and transitional zones across Lagos.
A Strategic, Collaborative Approach
Dr. Olumide emphasised that this intervention is strategic, not merely regulatory. Its goals are to promote orderliness at the state's frontiers, enhance urban aesthetics, improve the functionality of public spaces, and protect the physical environment's integrity.
The commissioner also revealed that plans have been finalised for extensive sensitisation and engagement with both internal and external stakeholders. This will involve government agencies, market associations, transport unions, community leaders, and other interest groups. He stressed that such engagement is critical to ensuring cooperation, compliance, and shared ownership of the initiative.
He reaffirmed the ministry's commitment to using professional planning tools, fostering inter-agency collaboration, and encouraging community participation. This is to ensure the exercise is carried out transparently, lawfully, and sustainably. Olumide concluded that effective control of informal spaces will contribute to improved mobility, safety, environmental quality, and the overall livability of Lagos State, aligning with the vision for a resilient, inclusive, and well-planned megacity.
