Lagos State Government Begins Demolition of Illegal Structures at Trade Fair Complex to Enforce Planning Regulations

The Lagos State Government has commenced the demolition of illegal and structurally unsafe buildings at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, as part of its wider efforts to enforce physical planning regulations and restore order in the area. The Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Jubril Gawat, confirmed the development, which has renewed public debate over the balance between urban planning enforcement and the livelihoods of traders and business owners who operate within the complex.

 

Going by the 2003 Supreme Court judgment and the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2019 (as amended). The Lagos State Government has commenced the demolition of illegal and structurally unsafe buildings at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo. Photo: Generated for Editorial Purpose | Bulletin1247 - Beyond the headlines.

What Happened

On Thursday, August 20, 2026, the Lagos State Government mobilised enforcement teams, including cranes and bulldozers, to the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo Local Government Area to begin demolishing illegal and defective structures. The exercise targeted buildings constructed without statutory approvals from the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) and those deemed to violate basic safety standards.

The state government confirmed that the demolition exercise is being carried out in line with the provisions of the Lagos State Building Laws and the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2019 (as amended). The enforcement action continues the state's ongoing drive to sanitise the complex, which has been a recurring subject of planning disputes over the past several years.

 

Key Details

·         The demolition exercise commenced on Thursday, August 20, 2026, with the state government deploying cranes and heavy machinery to the complex.

 ·         The Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Jubril Gawat, officially confirmed the development.

 ·         The Lagos State Government reaffirmed its mandate to enforce physical planning laws at the Trade Fair Complex, citing its authority under a 2003 Supreme Court judgment and the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2019 (as amended).

 ·         Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, stated that several buildings inside the complex were constructed without statutory approvals, some in violation of basic safety standards.

 ·         The state government declared a general amnesty last year to allow property owners to regularise their documentation, but many defaulters failed to comply despite the window being extended several times.

 ·         Officials of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development had reportedly been denied access to the complex, locked out, and even assaulted during engagement attempts, prompting police intervention.

 ·         The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, defended the action, insisting that the demolitions are backed by law.

 ·         The state government has denied any ethnic bias in the demolition exercise, insisting that enforcement actions are uniformly conducted across all parts of Lagos State and are based solely on planning violations.

 

Why It Matters

This demolition exercise represents a significant test of the Lagos State Government's commitment to urban planning enforcement in one of Nigeria's most prominent commercial hubs. The Trade Fair Complex is home to thousands of businesses, including the Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association (ASPAMDA) market, which has been thrown into disarray by the demolitions. The action affects the livelihoods of numerous traders, shop owners, and workers who operate within the complex, many of whom have expressed shock and distress over the loss of their properties and goods.

The exercise also raises broader questions about the relationship between federal land ownership and state authority over development control. The Trade Fair Management Board—a federal entity—oversees lease agreements and commercial activities within the complex, but it lacks the authority to approve physical development or building plans. Under the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act (1992), as domesticated in Lagos State, all construction and development within the state must be approved by the state government. This legal position has been affirmed by the Supreme Court's 2003 ruling in Attorney-General of Lagos State v. Attorney-General of the Federation.

 

Background

The Lagos State Government's enforcement drive at the Trade Fair Complex has been ongoing for several years, with multiple waves of demolitions and sealing of structures. In October 2025, the state government defended similar demolitions, insisting that the exercise was a technical enforcement of planning laws and not targeted at any ethnic group.

 In January 2026, the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) reiterated that its enforcement exercises are carried out strictly in line with provisions of the Lagos State Building Laws, addressing accusations of ethnic bias, particularly concerning structures at Trade Fair Complex, Ajao Estate, Alaba, and other areas. The Authority's General Manager, Tpl. Kehinde Osinaike, emphasised that enforcement actions are uniformly conducted across all parts of Lagos State.

 A general amnesty was declared by the state government to allow property owners to regularise their documentation, with the window being extended multiple times. However, many owners failed to comply, leading to the current enforcement action. The state government had also faced harassment from officials while serving contravention notices on property owners.

 

Possible Next Steps

·         The Lagos State Government is expected to continue its enforcement drive at the Trade Fair Complex and other areas, as it has pledged not to tolerate non-compliance with physical planning laws.

 ·         Property owners with valid approvals but who were affected by the demolition may have opportunities to seek redress or engage with the state government through the appropriate channels.

 ·         The Lagos State Government may introduce more comprehensive measures to regulate and administer informal spaces across the state in line with its physical planning mandate.

 ·         Traders and property owners affected by the demolitions could form coalitions or engage in negotiations with the state government for compensation or alternative arrangements, though the government has not indicated any such provisions.

 ·         Expect continued public debate and potential political responses, as the issue touches on sensitive matters of urban governance, property rights, and livelihood security.

 

Bulletin1247 Take

The Lagos State Government's demolition exercise at the Trade Fair Complex is legally grounded and consistent with its mandate to enforce physical planning regulations across the state. However, the human cost of such enforcement cannot be ignored—traders have lost goods worth millions of naira, shops have been destroyed, and livelihoods have been upended. The state government's argument that defaulters were given ample time to regularise their structures is a valid defence, yet the execution of the demolitions has raised questions about the adequacy of prior notifications to affected parties.

The clarification from the state government that this is not about ethnic bias is important in a diverse city like Lagos, where tensions around urban renewal can easily escalate. The legal framework is clear: the Trade Fair Board may manage leases, but building approvals must go through proper state channels. What remains to be seen is whether the government will balance enforcement with compassion—offering support to genuinely affected small business owners while firmly upholding the rule of law.

This is ultimately a story about the tension between orderly urban development and the reality of informal commerce in Lagos. The government's position, as articulated by Commissioner Omotoso, is a call for a society governed by law rather than sentiment. For now, the bulldozers have spoken, but the long-term impact on the traders, the complex, and Lagos's broader commercial landscape will unfold in the weeks and months ahead.

 

Key Facts at a Glance

Category	Detail
Incident	Demolition of illegal and structurally unsafe buildings at the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo
Date Commenced	Thursday, August 20, 2026
Authority	Lagos State Government, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development
Official Confirmation	Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Jubril Gawat
Legal Basis	Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2019 (as amended); Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act (1992)
Supreme Court Precedent	Attorney-General of Lagos State v. Attorney-General of the Federation (2003)
Key Officials	Dr Oluyinka Olumide (Commissioner for Physical Planning), Tokunbo Wahab (Commissioner for Environment)
Affected Area	Trade Fair Complex, ASPAMDA Market, Ojo Local Government Area
Amnesty Window	Declared by the state government, extended multiple times; defaulters failed to comply
Government Position	Enforcement is based solely on planning violations; denies ethnic bias

 

Sources:

·         Official statement(s) from the Lagos State Government, including the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on New Media and the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development

·         Public agency: Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA)

·         News organisations monitored by Bulletin1247: Lagos Television, Nairametrics, TheConclaveNg, Vanguard News, First Daily News, The Sun Nigeria, Leadership Newspapers, Western Post, The Guardian Nigeria News, ProgressiveNews.ng