The Lagos State government has intensified efforts to curb building collapse and illegal developments, demolishing 349 distressed structures and uncovering 27,233 building infractions between May 2023 and April 2026.

The state government said the exercise formed part of measures to strengthen compliance with physical planning regulations and improve safety across the built environment.

Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on E-GIS and Urban Development, Babatunde Olajide, made this known during the Ministerial Press Briefing in Alausa, Ikeja.

Olajide said the affected buildings were identified as distressed and unsafe by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA) following monitoring and enforcement across the five divisions of the state.

According to him, the agency intensified surveillance and compliance activities to reduce incidents of building collapse and ensure developers adhere to approved standards.

“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.

Olajide said 4,711 authorisation to start construction were issued within the review period, while 8,099 stage inspections were conducted on buildings under construction.

He added that 1,790 ongoing projects were monitored for compliance with approved building plans, while 902 Certificates of Completion and Fitness for Habitation were issued after satisfactory inspections.

The Special Adviser also said the agency verified 782 building insurance policies to improve risk management within the construction sector.

He further said LASBCA carried out 19,320 enforcement, including stop-work orders, seal-up notices, evacuation directives and quit notices issued against illegal and non-conforming buildings.

Olajide said the government had expanded public enlightenment and whistleblowing initiatives through social media platforms, SMS channels and digital reporting systems to encourage residents to report distressed structures.

He also highlighted the introduction of the Certified Accreditors’ Programme, involving over 140 certified consultants tasked with screening building drawings, monitoring construction stages and identifying illegal developments.

According to him, the initiative followed recommendations contained in the White Paper on the collapse of the 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Olajide added that the state government had deployed the Electronic Physical Planning Permit System to enable digital processing of approvals and regulatory certifications. (The Nation)