Lagos asserts control over Trade Fair Complex approvals amid demolitions

The Lagos State Government has issued a firm reminder that the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex is not an autonomous entity exempt from state regulations, emphasizing that all building developments within the facility must secure approvals from the state, not just the federal Trade Fair Complex Board.

This clarification, shared by Tokunbo Wahab, Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, comes amid ongoing enforcement actions against illegal structures at the complex, including recent demolitions that have sparked public debate.

In a statement highlighting the legal framework made available to Freelanews, Wahab stressed that the Trade Fair Complex Board; a federal creation tasked with managing the 350-hectare facility along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, lacks the authority to independently approve or regulate constructions.

“Physical planning and building approvals are within the remit of state governments,” Wahab explained, underscoring the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act of 1992, as domesticated by Lagos State’s Physical Planning and Development Regulations.

Under these laws, every physical development in Lagos, including on federal lands like the Trade Fair Complex, requires a planning permit from the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

Physical planning and building approvals are within the remit of state governments

This stance is reinforced by a landmark 2003 Supreme Court judgment in Attorney-General of Lagos State v. Attorney-General of the Federation, which affirmed that land use and physical planning fall under concurrent jurisdiction, with states holding primary regulatory power over developments in their territories; except in core federal enclaves like military installations.

The ruling invalidated parts of the federal Urban and Regional Planning Decree No. 88 of 1992 that encroached on state duties, solidifying Lagos’s oversight.

Wahab noted that while the Board can handle leases, tenancies, and commercial operations, any construction, alteration, or expansion demands state approval.

Non-compliance renders such projects illegal, empowering the state to seal or demolish them.

This enforcement aligns with Lagos’s T.H.E.M.E.S.+ Agenda for sustainable urban development, particularly as the complex has faced criticism for poor infrastructure and unchecked reclamations on wetlands.

Recent demolitions at the Trade Fair Complex, initiated in September 2025, targeted unsafe and unapproved structures, following ignored warnings and a failed amnesty program extended multiple times since November 2023.

Officials from the Ministry of Physical Planning, Lagos State Building Control Agency, and Urban Renewal Agency faced resistance during inspections, including locked gates and assaults, prompting decisive action.

The move has drawn mixed reactions, with former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi criticizing it as a “test of impunity,” claiming some buildings had valid approvals; a assertion the state refutes, insisting no such permits existed.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, countered that the action upholds the rule of law, not emotions or politics.

Also read: Tokunbo Wahab denounces malicious bribery allegations

As Lagos continues its urban renewal drive, developers and traders are urged to comply with state regulations to avoid disruptions, ensuring a safer, more organized built environment.

Read full statement below:

Trade Fair is NOT a sovereign community within Lagos State! The board, which is a creation of the Federal Government to manage the complex, does not have powers to approve or regulate building developments within the complex independent of Lagos State Government. Physical Planning and building approvals are within the remit of State Governments. Under the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act (1992, as domesticated by Lagos State’s Physical Planning and Development Regulations), all physical development in any part of Lagos must obtain planning permit/approval from the Lagos State Government through its Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

This position was further clarified and reinforced by The Supreme Court judgment of 2003 (Attorney-General of Lagos State v. Attorney-General of the Federation) that land use and physical planning fall under concurrent jurisdiction, and states retain the authority to regulate development control within their territories, including federal lands, except for core areas like military formations or exclusive federal enclaves.

The Trade Fair Complex Board may manage leases, tenancies, and commercial activities, but any construction, alteration, or development still requires Lagos State planning permit. Otherwise, such developments would be deemed illegal under state law, and the Lagos State Government has the power to seal or demolish them.

Tokunbo Wahab

Rtn. Victor Ojelabi

Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.