Lagos demolishes 349 distressed buildings, detects 27,233 infractions
From left: General Manager, LASURA, Dr. Animashaun Oladimeji; Permanent Secretary to the office of E-GIS and Urban Development, Engr. Adeyemi Adesanya; Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on E-GIS and Urban Development, Dr.Olajide Abiodun Babatunde and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, during the Lagos State Year 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing in commemoration of the seventh year in office of governor Babajide Sanwo-olu, held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
BY BENJAMIN OMOIKE
Lagos State Government has intensified enforcement against unsafe and illegal structures across the state, demolishing 349 distressed buildings and uncovering 27,233 building infractions between May 2023 and April 2026 in a sweeping effort to prevent building collapse and safeguard residents.
The state government said the crackdown forms part of a broader urban renewal and safety strategy aimed at strengthening compliance with physical planning regulations and restoring confidence in the built environment.
Special Adviser to the Governor on E-GIS and Urban Development, Babatunde Olajide, disclosed this on Thursday during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing held in Alausa, Ikeja, to commemorate the third year of the second term of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Olajide explained that the demolished structures were identified as distressed and dangerous by the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, following extensive monitoring and enforcement operations carried out across the five divisions of the state.
According to him, the agency has intensified surveillance and compliance activities to reduce the growing threat of building collapse while ensuring that developers and property owners adhere strictly to approved standards and regulations.
He stated that LASBCA remained central to the state government’s drive to build a modern and sustainable megacity under the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Agenda.
“The Agency has been playing a pivotal role towards the attainment of making Lagos a 21st-century economy in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Agenda of the State Government,” he said.
Providing details of the agency’s activities within the review period, Olajide disclosed that 4,711 authorisations to commence construction were issued to developers and property owners across the state.
He added that 8,099 stage inspections were conducted on buildings under construction to ascertain conformity with approved standards, while 1,790 ongoing projects were closely monitored for compliance with approved building plans.
The Special Adviser further revealed that LASBCA issued 902 Certificates of Completion and Fitness for Habitation after satisfactory inspections of completed structures.
He noted that the agency also verified 782 building insurance policies as part of efforts to improve risk management and public safety within the construction sector.
Olajide said enforcement activities remained vigorous during the period under review, with the agency carrying out 19,320 regulatory actions, including stop-work orders, seal-up notices, evacuation directives and quit notices issued against illegal and non-conforming buildings.
He stressed that the state government had strengthened public enlightenment and whistleblowing initiatives to encourage residents to report distressed structures before disasters occur.
According to him, LASBCA has expanded the use of social media platforms, SMS channels, dedicated telephone lines and digital reporting systems to improve early detection of unsafe buildings and deepen public participation in enforcement activities.
Olajide also highlighted the introduction of the Certified Accreditors’ Programme, a Public-Private Partnership initiative involving over 140 certified consultants tasked with screening building drawings, monitoring construction stages and identifying illegal developments.
He explained that the initiative was introduced following recommendations contained in the White Paper on the collapse of the 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi.
The Special Adviser further disclosed that the state government had deployed the Electronic Physical Planning Permit System to enable developers and property owners process approvals and regulatory certifications digitally.
He reiterated the commitment of the Sanwo-Olu administration to strengthening urban planning, enforcing building safety standards and preventing avoidable building collapse incidents through technology-driven monitoring and strict regulatory enforcement.
