Lagos State Government, yesterday, said that it had undertaken the redevelopment of key markets across the state to modernise public infrastructure and improve their functionality.

Special Adviser to the Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr Olajide Babatunde, who disclosed this in Ikeja during the ongoing media briefing to mark the second year of the second term of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, highlighted the ongoing efforts to upgrade traditional markets into a secure, organised, and sustainable business environment.

RELATEDLY, the state government also revealed that only 246 property owners applied for a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) in the last six years, frowning on property owners’ nonchalant attitude to applying for a C of O for their property despite obtaining it is a good way to secure their property.

According to Babatunde, while in the last six years, only 246 C of Os have been applied for, there were 649 applications for regularisation. The Special Adviser, who maintained that in the last six years, 4,690 surveys were applied for, said that 8,663 building owners/ developers were detected for violating infractions in their property in the last one year.

Babatunde also added that 159 buildings were identified with verified building insurance policies by the agency’s insurance department, adding added that in the last one year, 3,610 enforcement activities were carried out by the enforcement unit of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA).

Babatunde listed markets currently undergoing redevelopment in the state to include Alaba Transnational Market, Pelewura Market, Ademuyiwa Market, Jankara Market, Gorodom Market, and Maboreje Market, among others.

He said that the redevelopment of Alaba Transnational Market was advancing with active stakeholders’ engagement and collaboration while contractors had been mobilised to site for the commencement of activities, starting with fencing of the market.
In the case of Pelewura Market, he said the government’s efforts included multiple stakeholders’ meetings and a thorough verification process, resulting in the compensation of 1,100 allottees, comprising 431 original allottees, 445 off-takers, and 224 individuals granted consideration on compassionate grounds.

According to the Special Adviser, the market redevelopment projects were in line with the urban renewal efforts of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as indicated in government’s agenda, particularly the making Lagos State a 21st century economy pillar.

He emphasised that the initiatives were being implemented in line with the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s organised, orderly inclusive, and sustainable urban environment drive to support commercial trading and contribute to a better organised urban fabric.

He further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to urban regeneration through collaborative planning, stakeholders’ engagement, and the modernisation of commercial infrastructure across the state.

Also, the Lagos State government has said that it will commence the Certified Accreditors Programme (CAP) on June 1, 2025, to enhance building control in the state.

Babatunde, while speaking on the development, said that the state government had launched the programme as a key initiative to involve professionals in private practice in the building control mechanism of the state to enhance compliance and stem the tide of building collapse.

He said that the programme would help to leverage the experience and expertise of professionals in the built sector to significantly improve building control in the state where we currently contend with rapid urbanisation, population surge, indiscriminate erection of buildings and non-compliance to building regulations, among others.