The Lagos State Government has announced plans to introduce a new Building Code next year, aimed at achieving high-performance standards to position Lagos as a sustainable and Smart City.
This commitment was revealed during the Lagos State Executive Council Retreat on the Domestication of the Lagos Building Code, organized by the Office of the Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development. The event took place on Wednesday at Ikeja GRA.
Speaking at the retreat, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu stressed the importance of enhanced collaboration among ministries and agencies in the built environment to drive development in line with global best practices.
He explained that the Lagos Building Code is designed to establish regulations that will enhance the city’s resilience and sustainability.
He said: “We (Lagos State Government) are the first to domesticate the National Building Code, which is the creation of the Federal Government. We are not doing anything outside the vision at the sovereign and sub-sovereign levels. But what is unique about our own is the fact that all the cabinet members see the need to have an input because it would be an outcome that would affect lives and different ministries and agencies.
“So, there is a need for everybody to have a say, and at the end of the day, collectively we will resolve to have a way.
“What we are trying to do is for Lagos State to do what is obtainable internationally: have a building regulation in which we have a standard of construction in design, manner of land use occupancy, and use of building materials, which we believe would eventually improve and help with health, safety, and occupancy issues. It is all about building sustainably, making Lagos a lot more resilient and able to absorb shock in the future and able to stand in the comity of developed cities and city-states as we see in various parts of the world.”
The Special Adviser to the Governor on eGIS and Urban Development, Dr Olajide Babatunde, stated that the Lagos Building Code is to complement the existing regulatory framework and provide a comprehensive solution to the challenges of land use, physical development, and urban planning.
Babatunde said the Lagos Building Code will regulate building control, planning permission, and address the issues of setbacks; take care of the safety and sustainability of the environment; and also prevent the collapse of buildings.
“We have been working on the domestication of the National Building Code, and by next year, we are going to have our own brand-new Lagos Building Code. We have worked with professional bodies and people from academia, market women, and the public in general, and through a participatory approach, we are able to come out with a document that is acceptable to everyone and useful to the entire state,” he said.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Engr. Olufemi Daramola, described the Lagos State Building Code initiative under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration as a significant step toward achieving a “Green Lagos.” He noted that the initiative would facilitate proper building planning and ensure the development of durable infrastructure across the state.
During the retreat, members of the Lagos State Executive Council engaged in discussions and emphasized the need for an intensive public awareness campaign to educate residents about the Lagos Building Code ahead of its implementation.