FG issues ultimatum to Lagos shoreline developers to regularise or face demolition

• Developers on the Lagos shoreline have one month to regularise their projects or face demolition
• Housing Minister Ahmed Musa Dangiwa issued the ultimatum during an inspection of Lagos Lagoon Estates and shoreline areas
• The Federal Government is cataloguing assets nationwide for better management

The Federal Government has issued a one-month ultimatum to developers operating on the Lagos shoreline to regularise their developments or face revocation and demolition. 

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, announced the directive during an inspection of Lagos Lagoon Estates and shoreline areas.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development disclosed this in a statement published on its official website on December 12, emphasising the government’s commitment to ensuring compliance with development regulations.

During his official visit to Lagos State, the Minister, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, and other senior officials, stressed the importance of adhering to existing laws governing shoreline developments. 

He revealed that the Federal and Lagos State Governments are collaborating to ensure orderly and regulated development in the area.

The Minister also pointed out that the Federal Government is undertaking a nationwide documentation of its assets to improve management and accountability.

The inspection included a boat tour of the Lagos Lagoon Shoreline, where the Minister observed widespread irregular developments. These included unauthorised sand-filling and constructions without proper Federal Government titles or documentation.

He reminded developers that under the Land (Title Vesting) Act of 1975, the Federal Government holds the authority to issue and administer titles on shorelines. 

The Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) regulates dredging permits, while the Lagos State Government oversees physical development in the region.

The Minister reaffirmed the resolve of both Federal and Lagos State authorities to address these irregularities and restore order to the Lagos shoreline through strict enforcement of existing laws and regulations.

Collaboration with World Bank to transform land administration

In a bid to improve land management nationwide, the Federal Government has partnered with the World Bank to register all land titles across Nigeria within five years. 

The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, aims to formalise land ownership and unlock an estimated $300 billion in untapped capital.

According to the Ministry, over 90 per cent of land parcels in Nigeria currently lack titles, a challenge this partnership seeks to resolve. 

The initiative will collaborate with state governments, landowners, and communities to ensure inclusivity in the documentation and titling process.

As part of this reform, the Federal Government plans to establish a National Land Digital System (NLDS) to enhance transparency, reduce fraud, and boost investor confidence. 

The system is expected to increase the share of formal land transactions to over 50 per cent within the next decade, up from the current rate of less than 10 per cent.

By promoting sustainable land use and driving economic growth, the Federal Government aims to transform Nigeria’s land administration system and foster a more secure and transparent property market.

This ultimatum marks a critical step in ensuring compliance with regulations while unlocking the economic potential of formalised land ownership in Nigeria.

7 tax reforms by Tinubu administration that affect every Nigerian

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Bola Tinubu administration in Nigeria had since 2023 embarked on a transformative journey to overhaul the country's tax regime. 

The administration's tax reforms included the suspension of the 5 per cent excise tax on telecommunication services, suspension of excise duties escalation on locally manufactured products, suspension of the green tax on single-use plastics, suspension of the Import Adjustment Tax (IAT) on certain vehicles, deferment of tax commencement dates, zero tariffs, excise duties and value-added tax (VAT) on imported pharmaceutical inputs, and suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes on some essential food items.