Lagos Reaffirms Zero Tolerance For Illegal Structures At Trade Fair Complex

The Lagos State Government has reiterated its zero tolerance for illegal and unapproved developments within the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, emphasizing that all physical structures must comply with planning regulations.

In a statement on Thursday, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, said the ongoing enforcement exercise at the complex is aimed at ensuring public safety, orderly development, and environmental sustainability — not at contesting land ownership.

“The enforcement focuses solely on the approval status of physical developments, as every structure in Lagos State must obtain a valid planning permit from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development,” Dr. Olumide stated.

He cited the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act of 1992, as domesticated by Lagos through its Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law of 2019, as well as the 2003 Supreme Court judgment in Attorney-General of Lagos State vs Attorney-General of the Federation, which empowers states to regulate developments within their territories — including federal lands not in exclusive federal use, such as military formations.

Dr. Olumide expressed concern over what he described as attempts by some political actors, particularly from the South-East, to misrepresent the government’s action at the complex. He said such claims were misleading and aimed at stirring ethnic sentiments rather than addressing the real issues of safety, legality, and compliance.