The Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, has stated that the state is facing intense urban and population pressure.
According to a statement recently made by the Public Affairs Officer I at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Kamal Lawal, the Commissioner disclosed this during an on-site assessment of informal spaces across its key corridors, beginning with the Lekki–Ajah Axis, as part of deliberate efforts to ensure orderly, safe, and sustainable management of such spaces.
Speaking during the exercise, Olumide explained that the physical inspection of informal spaces signalled the State Government’s clear determination to turn such spaces around for the better.
According to him, Lagos was deliberately taking charge of its informal spaces to reposition them in line with global best practices and bring them up to par with those in other notable cities around the world.
The Commissioner explained that the assessment would inform the development of practical prototypes to be deployed in pilot corridors, adding that OCTRAGON, as a private-sector partner, was collaborating with the Lagos State Government to ensure the orderly and sustainable management of informal spaces across the State.
Olumide further noted that effective management of informal spaces was critical for mobility, safety, urban aesthetics, and environmental protection, stressing that Lagos must optimise every available space to meet the demands of rapid urbanisation and population growth.
“In Lagos, every square metre of land matters, as we are the smallest state in the country by landmass, yet face intense urban and population pressure,” he said.
The on-site assessment marks another strategic step by the Lagos State Government towards integrated urban development, improved liveability, and the creation of a resilient, well-planned megacity. The assessment was led by Dr Olumide, alongside the Special Adviser to the Governor on Survey Matters, Ayokunnu Adesina; the Permanent Secretary, Office of Physical Planning, Oluwole Sotire; the General Manager, Lagos State Informal Space Management Authority; and the Chief Executive Officer of OCTRAGON, Gbolahan Awonusi.