… State insists all developments require planning permit
The Lagos State Government has said that the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex is not a sovereign community within the state and therefore remains subject to its physical planning and building regulations.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, explained that while the Trade Fair Complex Board, established by the Federal Government, may manage leases, tenancies, and commercial activities within the facility, it does not have the power to independently approve or regulate physical developments.
“Physical planning and building approvals are within the remit of state governments. Under the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act of 1992, as domesticated by Lagos State’s Physical Planning and Development Regulations, all physical development in any part of Lagos must obtain planning permit or approval from the state government through the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development,” Wahab said.
He further cited the 2003 Supreme Court judgment in Attorney-General of Lagos State v. Attorney-General of the Federation, which clarified that land use and physical planning fall under concurrent jurisdiction. According to the ruling, states retain the authority to regulate development control within their territories, including on federal lands, except for core areas such as military formations or exclusive federal enclaves.
The commissioner stressed that any construction, alteration, or development within the complex without a Lagos State planning permit would be deemed illegal under state law. “The Lagos State Government therefore reserves the right to seal or demolish such structures,” he added.