Lagos Govt Begins Demolition of Unapproved Buildings as Amnesty Period Ends

Lagos, March 31, 2025 – The Lagos State Government has launched a sweeping demolition campaign targeting unapproved and illegal structures across the state, following the expiration of an extended amnesty period on Sunday, March 30. The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), tasked with enforcing building regulations, commenced the operation early Monday, signaling a firm stance on restoring order to the state’s urban landscape.

Amnesty Period Ends, Enforcement Begins

The amnesty initiative, initially introduced as a 90-day window from May 2 to July 30, 2024, allowed property owners and developers to regularize unapproved buildings without penalties. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu later extended the deadline twice—first to October 2024 and then to December 31, 2024—before a final extension pushed it to March 30, 2025. The program aimed to encourage compliance with planning laws amid Lagos’s rapid urbanization and persistent housing challenges.

However, with the grace period now concluded, LASBCA has shifted gears. “The amnesty period granted by the State Governor has expired,” LASBCA announced via its official X handle on Sunday. “We have begun the removal of illegal structures across the state to ensure safety and adherence to building codes.” The agency’s General Manager, Arc. Gbolahan Oki, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the move is part of a broader effort to eliminate non-conforming structures and prevent disasters like building collapses.

Operation Underway Across Lagos

On Monday morning, demolition teams were sighted in multiple locations, including Ikoyi, Lekki, and Mushin, where bulldozers razed structures identified as lacking proper permits or built on restricted zones such as drainage channels and power line rights-of-way. In Ikota Villa, a residential area previously hit by demolitions in 2023, residents watched in dismay as additional unapproved extensions were brought down. “We thought we had more time,” said one homeowner, who declined to be named. “They came without warning today.”

The operation follows months of warnings from state officials. In 2024 alone, LASBCA identified over 350 distressed or unapproved buildings, with notices served to owners urging compliance. While some heeded the call—demolishing over 90% of marked distressed structures themselves—many others failed to act, prompting the government’s intervention. “Compliance is cost-effective,” Oki had stressed during a May 2024 workshop titled “Understanding Building Control in Lagos State,” urging owners to secure certificates of completion, fitness for habitation, and building insurance.

A Controversial Crackdown

The demolitions have reignited debates over the government’s approach to urban planning and housing rights. Critics argue that the state’s actions exacerbate Lagos’s housing deficit, where 80.7% of residents are tenants, according to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development. “This is economic loss,” said Samuel Ukpong, a former chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) Lagos Chapter. “Buildings are symbols of prosperity—tearing them down without alternatives hurts the economy and the people.”

Residents and property owners have also questioned the approval process, pointing fingers at local authorities for issuing permits that later prove invalid. “If the government approved these buildings, why demolish them now?” asked Tunde Adeyemi, a trader whose shop in Mushin was leveled. Former footballer Emmanuel Emenike voiced similar frustrations in 2023, arguing that properties built with valid permits should not face demolition without compensation.

In response, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, defended the crackdown, stating, “We cannot keep lampooning the government for flooding or collapses when developers and residents flout regulations. Laws exist for a reason.” He cited past incidents, like the 2023 Banana Island collapse, as justification for stricter enforcement.

Economic and Social Fallout

The demolitions come at a challenging time for Lagosians, with Nigeria’s inflation rate hovering above 30% and the naira’s value plummeting. Affected residents, many of whom invested life savings into their properties, now face displacement and financial ruin. In Lekki Phase II, where structures on drainage setbacks were targeted, a young entrepreneur lamented losing a N50 million duplex. “I wasn’t even here when it happened,” he told reporters. “What do I do now?”

Human rights advocates have also raised alarms. A March 27 statement from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) criticized similar demolitions of waterfront settlements, warning that “forced evictions and arbitrary demolitions” violate international law and could amount to “domicide.” The agency called for adequate resettlement and compensation—measures the Lagos government has yet to outline for this latest wave.

Government’s Next Steps

The state has vowed to sustain the enforcement drive, with Oki warning owners of distressed buildings to act within two weeks or face further action. “Our mandate is to protect lives,” he said during a press briefing. “Dilapidated structures harm even their owners.” The government also plans to intensify inspections, targeting buildings under high-tension lines, on floodplains, or lacking insurance—a requirement Olumide reiterated as critical for disaster mitigation.

For now, the bulldozers roll on, reshaping Lagos’s skyline and leaving residents to pick up the pieces. As the city strives for a “smarter, safer” future under Sanwo-Olu’s T.H.E.M.E.S. PLUS agenda, the cost of progress remains a bitter pill for many. Whether this crackdown will curb illegal construction or deepen distrust between citizens and the state remains to be seen.