LAGOS Gov. Redefines LAGOS URBAN Framework

• Commissioner For Physical Planning & Urban Planning, Reveals

At the recently concluded 5th Lagos Real Estate Marketplace Conference and Exhibition, held at the prestigious Convention Hall of Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, outlined the state’s ambitious and forward-thinking plans for sustaining real estate development. Represented by a senior official from the ministry, Dr. Oluyinka’s speech unveiled a strategic roadmap aimed at transforming Lagos into a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable megacity by 2050.

The presentation shed light on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s dedication to redefining Lagos’ urban framework through innovative planning, advanced technology, and sustainable infrastructure. As a rapidly growing coastal megacity, Lagos faces significant challenges, including urbanization pressures, climate change, and resource management. Dr. Oluyinka’s roadmap focuses on critical areas such as promoting compact urban development, integrating vertical building designs, adopting renewable energy solutions, and implementing advanced transportation systems to foster a more efficient and livable city.

Key elements of the plan include flood resilience strategies, regeneration of key areas such as Lagos Island, and community-focused urban planning to ensure inclusivity. The roadmap also addresses the pressing need to adapt to rising water levels by enhancing foundation designs and incorporating green building practices. This visionary approach underscores the Lagos State Government’s commitment to ensuring the city’s position as a global model of sustainable urban development while preserving its economic and cultural significance. Below are key excerpts from the comprehensive presentation:

This policy paper outlines a strategic and visionary roadmap for legal state landscapes by 2050. It’s going to focus on the transformation agenda of nation by integrating sustainable infrastructure, advanced technology, and all that we can put together to ensure that we have the Lagos of our dreams.

Lagos for this dynamic economic and diverse population stands at a pivotal point in its urban development journey. As we look towards 2025, the city must address challenges related to rapid urbanization, climate change, resource management. This policy paper intends to present a roadmap for transforming Lagos into a modern city that embodies sustainability and innovation within infrastructure and real estate practices.

So, the objective, basically, is to develop sustainable infrastructure that supports efficient transportation, energy, and water management. Promote green building practices and sustainable real estate development, and also enhance resilience to climate change and environmental hazards.

Also, to foster inclusive urban development that ensures equitable access to resources and opportunities, and encourage community engagement and participatory fiscal planning. Yes, in doing this, like the Honourable Commissioner said earlier on, and like I also said, we have covered the entirety of legal systems.

We see that the strategic plan or the strategic master plan or modern city plan, so not minding the name that we are giving to it, have traced the history. So, what we intend to do, because we have covered everything, we are going to make sure that hubs are created at different categories in each of the planning areas, such that we create a more compact city. The commissioner was talking about the use of stone in the other time.

So, when our cities become compact, that means we have encouraged cities to shorten distances. We are going to promote mixed developments to the extent that you could even rent a house to take a short distance to get wherever you want to go, maybe to recreate, for schooling, or for whatever. And these hubs that we have categorized will help us in achieving that.

Also, we want to support the Ministry of Transport in such a way that we can also, you know, help on smart opportunities that are available to us and ensure that, you know, we have good transport that will support all these kinds of, you know, developments that we are producing. Also, we are planning and beginning to ensure that this supports the use of renewable energy, you know, solar and water. Even as of now, we have some of our staff that are already, we call them experts, you know, if they have gone through the training, they have already passed the exams, and they are waiting.

If you go to the Ministry of Social Planning, you will see a big area that we call Green Building Initiative. It is just preparing the ground so that by the time our electronic planning committee comes on board, everything will be embedded into it such that at the press of the button in the comfort of your home. So that we will do so many things that will be able to meet our needs in the area of real estate development and what have you.

Then also, we are ensuring that the other time the Commissioner was talking about, you know, integrated modes of transport. You know, one thing is the base is not clear, and the base or the starting point is development line. And in order to contrast them, we are working together, and that is exactly the situation we are working together to ensure that all these things form on board.

For example, what is happening in the speculating area now, kind of ensure that we do not want to just create another problem at the park, like we did at the park, and we have to cut down in that particular place so that we can focus more attention onto it, and then ensure that those errors of the past are not repeated here. And that is why we are taking out the legislative plan from the legislative master plan so that we can have more time dedicated to it and also get so many things done right. Another thing is to develop the group across the board to ensure that we do not create a sleeping city. A sleeping city that does not actually start on ice.

We have to make sure it is firm before we start on it. No, but with serious and deliberate intentional development, you know, this is our area to be tried. And there will be no good start on that front, because it is.

Accordingly, we have listened to that, you know, and many things have been said. But the way we are looking at this problem, the angle we are looking at this problem is this. Through our planning, we have kind of increased the intensity.

We are supposing vertical development through all our plans now. Whether it is Badagry, whether it is Epe, anywhere. Because the essence of the issue is this.

If we are not going to continue to encourage sprawling, then we must encourage vertical development. And that is why we are promoting, like I said, compact development.

Lagos is a coastal megacity. And challenges of good planning changes are coming up in the face. We cannot run away from this.

But we can address it through proper planning. And what we are trying to do, if you look through all our development plans, you would have seen, for example, that of Lagos Island. We are focusing on regeneration in Lagos.

And we are also encouraging land pooling. So that we have the opportunity of creating more, of raising the density, raising the heights. And at the same time, run away from the issue of, this obvious rising water level.

I am not willing to achieve that in the midst of all this. Very, very soon. The state is going to be, for example, if you look at Lagos Island, you will discover that in some places the water level is higher.

And that is why we have so much money coming from Lagos Island. So, gradually, as we take each sector by sector, using prototype development to showcase, so that people can buy into this, when it comes to creating vegetation, we will be raising the foundation level gradually. If Lagos, if the water level around Lagos is going to rise by about 2 meters in the next 15 years, the obvious thing to do now is begin to scale up in terms of foundation level.

And by the time we begin to increase it, as this regeneration plan is implemented, we will discover that we will be above board.

– Jamiu Abubakar