By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Lagos State Government has officially commenced the full automation of Electronic Physical Planning Process System, EPPPS, and land administration processes, outlawing the manual processing of planning permits across the state.

The initiative, is part of measures to modernise urban governance, reduce the incidence of building collapse, and enhance ease of doing business, among others in the State.

Special Adviser to the Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Babatunde, announced this during a press conference on Friday, held in Alausa, Ikeja.

According to Babatunde, the transition to EPPPS, a web-based platform, is designed to streamline the processing of planning permissions, authorisations to commence construction works, and stage certifications.

The initiative, he stressed aligns with the vision of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu commitment to deploy technology in improving service delivery, transparency, and operational efficiency within the built environment sector.

“The full automation of our planning permit process commenced on April 1, 2026. Let me be unequivocally clear: the manual processing of physical planning permits has been completely discontinued and outlawed in Lagos State.

“Anyone processing planning permits manually from this date is engaging in an illegal activity,” Babatunde stated.

The Special Adviser revealed that the state has achieved 100 per cent training and retraining of personnel, alongside complete deployment of computer systems and internet connectivity across all district offices of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) and the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA,

He noted that once applicants receive planning approvals through the EPPPS platform, they can seamlessly proceed to apply for authorisation to commence construction works and stage certifications, thereby ensuring end-to-end digital service delivery.

To ensure compliance, Babatunde announced the establishment of a task force under his office to monitor adherence to the new system and enforce the Governor’s directive.

Beyond EPPPS, the government also introduced the Certified Accredited Programme (CAP)—a strategic Public-Private Partnership aimed at strengthening the capacity of LASBCA.

The programme allows accredited private professionals to collaborate with the agency in monitoring building projects and ensuring strict compliance with building codes.

According to Babatunde, “The initiative will significantly reduce the incidence of building collapses while accelerating project delivery.

“CAP is a win for safety, a win for the construction industry, and a win for Lagosians.”

In a bid to decentralise land administration services, Babatunde announced that the e-GIS Regional Office in Ikeja has commenced operations.

The facility serves as a customer-facing hub for digitised land administration activities, reducing the need for residents to travel to Alausa for land-related inquiries.

He added that additional divisional offices across the state would soon become operational, further enhancing accessibility.

“Powering the e-GIS ecosystem is the Aumentum Software, a robust digital platform designed to manage land records and facilitate the electronic processing of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O).

“The system replaces the traditional reliance on physical files, ensuring secure, searchable, and faster processing of land titles,” Babatunde stated.

He noted that the innovation would also significantly boost investor confidence in the Lagos real estate market by guaranteeing the integrity of the state’s land registry.