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The Lagos State government has revoked all existing building permits and mandated builders to reapply for validation to continue construction.
Olajide Babatunde, the special adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on e-GIS and Urban Development, announced this directive during a visit to the site of a collapsed building in Maryland, Ikeja, on Saturday. Accompanied by Gbolahun Oki, the general manager of the Lagos State Building Collapse Agency (LASBCA), and other officials, Babatunde stated, “All commencement certifications in Lagos are revoked effective immediately. This applies to everyone with a construction site, including those in the big five category. Return to the LASBCA office to revalidate that document; if you decide not to go for the revalidation of that documentation, we are going to seal that site.”
The collapse of a building under construction at 13, Wilson Mba Street, Arowojobe Estate, Maryland, Lagos, resulted in the death of five workers on Thursday. Babatunde acknowledged the government’s role in preventing building collapses but also blamed property owners and developers for negligence and regulatory violations.
He emphasized the necessity of obtaining a certificate of completion or fitness for habitation before occupying any building. Babatunde warned that the government would prosecute violators and highlighted the state’s strict construction and occupancy regulations. He noted that buildings must be certified by LASBCA before habitation, and failure to comply constitutes a criminal offense. The agency plans to increase enforcement efforts, including employing private consultants to inspect buildings.
LASBCA General Manager Gbolahun Oki detailed the agency’s response to the recent collapse and its preventive measures. LASBCA will conduct a comprehensive inspection of buildings in the affected estate, marking and demolishing those deemed unsafe. Oki outlined the challenges faced by the agency, such as limited resources and resistance from developers, and called for private professionals to collaborate with the government to enhance building regulation enforcement in the state.
