Lagos goes fully digital on building approvals, launches EPPPS

The Lagos State Government has introduced a fully automated system for processing building approvals, marking a major shift from manual procedures.

The new platform, known as the Electronic Physical Planning Process System, is designed to handle all planning permits and construction approvals digitally across the state.

The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on E-GIS and Urban Development, Olajide Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

Abiodun explained that the web-based platform would improve efficiency, transparency, and service delivery within the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

He noted that the state has now fully migrated from analogue and semi-digital systems, adding that the transition took effect on April 1, 2026.

According to him, the initiative will eliminate delays, reduce human interference, and create a more reliable approval process for developers and property owners.

The government warned that any attempt to process planning permits outside the platform would be deemed illegal.

Applicants are also required to process authorisation to commence construction and stage certifications through the system.

To ensure compliance, a task force has been established, while personnel have been trained and digital infrastructure deployed across district offices.

The state also introduced the Certified Accreditors Programme, a public-private partnership involving professionals to monitor building projects and enforce standards.

The initiative is expected to reduce building collapse and improve project timelines.

Officials added that ongoing digitisation of land administration through e-GIS offices would enhance access to land services and speed up processes such as issuing Certificates of Occupancy.

Lagos, Nigeria’s most populous state, has continued to witness rapid urban development, with many projects historically lacking proper approvals.

Despite past amnesty programmes, unauthorised developments persist.

The government aims to issue between 40,000 and 45,000 building permits yearly, with the digital system expected to boost efficiency and compliance.

In recent years, the state has recorded progress in approvals, issuing over 37,000 permits within six years, alongside approvals for hospitals, schools, petrol stations, and shopping malls.

The new digital system is seen as a key step towards strengthening urban planning and regulating construction activities in the state.

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