The Lagos State Government has called on the management of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex to take advantage of the ongoing Planning Permit Amnesty Programme, urging the organisation to emulate other Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that have already commenced regularisation of their structures.
The appeal was made by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, during a briefing in his Alausa office on Tuesday.
According to the Commissioner, several Federal Government agencies—including the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)—have already begun the process of securing planning permits for their buildings under the amnesty window approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Dr. Olumide advised the Trade Fair Complex management to follow suit without delay, noting that the amnesty window provides a rare opportunity for organisations with unapproved structures to regularise their buildings without the usual penalties.
Reinforcing the government’s position, Kehinde-Akinsanya, Chief Public Affairs Officer, said the exercise is anchored on the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2019 (as amended), which makes building approval mandatory for all structures within the state.
“Building approval is not negotiable anywhere in Lagos,” Kehinde-Akinsanya stated. “The Amnesty Programme offers a generous window for property owners to regularise their developments voluntarily before enforcement begins.”
He emphasised that obtaining the necessary planning approvals is essential to the state’s vision of creating a more livable, orderly and sustainable urban environment.
The current Planning Permit Amnesty Programme, the third initiated under Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration, runs from 1 November to 31 December 2025, during which penal fees are waived for qualifying applicants.
The government reiterated that once the window closes, enforcement actions will resume across the state.
