Lagos says building approvals can now be obtained online from anywhere worldwide

The Lagos State Government has announced that developers and property owners can now apply for and obtain planning approvals for their developments online from anywhere in the world through the Electronic Planning Permit Processing System (EPPPS).

The disclosure was contained in a notice published on the Lagos State Government’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.

The EPPPS, introduced by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, commenced full automation of the planning permit process on April 1, 2026. The government said the platform is designed to simplify and modernise planning permit administration across the state.

What they are saying

The Lagos State Government said the automated platform is intended to eliminate stress, speed up approvals and improve transparency in physical planning.

• “The Electronic Planning Permit Processing System (EPPPS) is a digital platform created to simplify and modernise how planning permits are processed in Lagos State.”
• “Now, intending developers/owners of structures in Lagos State can apply for and get approvals for their developments without leaving their home from anywhere in the world. It is built to cut stress, speed up approvals, and bring transparency to physical planning across Lagos State.”
• “EPPPS is powered by the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) and is part of the effort to make planning permits more efficient and accessible for all.”

The government said the platform forms part of its broader drive to improve service delivery through digital innovation and make planning approvals more accessible to

According to the state government, the Electronic Planning Permit Processing System is fully automated, eliminating human interference in the permit approval process.

The government said the platform is transparent, secure, user-friendly, available 24 hours a day and compliant with the National Data Protection Regulation.

It added that the web-based system is designed to replace paper-driven approvals, eliminate administrative bottlenecks and significantly reduce processing delays.

The EPPPS is expected to promote seamless planning permit administration in line with global best practices in urban planning and development.

• Special Adviser to the Governor on E-GIS and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde, said, “All applications must now go through the EPPPS platform exclusively. Anyone processing planning permits manually from this date is engaging in an illegal activity.”

With the full implementation of the platform, the Lagos State Government has formally ended the manual processing of building approval applications across the state.

What you should know

The Lagos State Government had, in September 2025, set a target of issuing between 40,000 and 45,000 building permits annually as part of efforts to regulate development and keep pace with the state’s rapid urbanisation.

• Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, disclosed that the ministry processed about 18,000 planning permit applications in 2024.
• He said the state needs to increase the number of approvals issued annually to between 40,000 and 45,000 to meet its urban development objectives.
• Oluyinka described a planning permit as the “birth certificate” of a building, noting that it provides legal recognition, supports government planning and ensures property owners are eligible for compensation when land is acquired for public infrastructure.

He also warned that buildings erected without the required planning approvals are liable to sanctions, including demolition.

The EPPPS is expected to improve regulatory compliance while making the planning approval process faster, more transparent and accessible to developers both within and outside Nigeria. (Nairametrics)