The Ogun State Government has launched a three-month amnesty programme granting a 50 percent reduction in planning permit penal fees for property owners who built without official approval. The initiative, approved by Governor Dapo Abiodun, runs from November 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026, and covers all categories of developments, including residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, mixed-use, and other physical structures.
Announcing the programme at a press conference in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tpl. Olatunji Odunlami, said the amnesty aims to encourage compliance with planning regulations while providing financial relief to citizens as the year draws to a close.
Odunlami highlighted Ogun State’s rapid development over the past six years, positioning it as Nigeria’s fastest-growing subnational economy and industrial capital, thanks to Governor Abiodun’s investments in infrastructure, security, and ease of doing business. He expressed concern that many property owners had undertaken developments without securing planning permits, underscoring the amnesty as a demonstration of the government’s support for orderly and safe urban growth.
The Commissioner urged individuals, corporate developers, and industrial operators to take advantage of the programme, assuring them of seamless and transparent processing across the Ministry’s 32 zonal planning offices.
Odunlami also raised alarms over widespread encroachment on road and highway setbacks by shanties, signboards, makeshift structures, markets, vehicle sales points, and other unauthorized uses. He warned that such activities compromise safety, obstruct visibility, distort urban aesthetics, block drainage channels, and contribute to flooding and environmental degradation. Highways affected include the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, Abeokuta–Sagamu Interchange Highway, Sagamu–Benin Expressway, Lagos–Abeokuta Road, Papalanto–Sagamu Interchange, Ijebu-Ode–Epe Highway, and Ogijo–Sagamu Road.
Property owners with plots facing highways were directed to remove all unauthorized structures on their setbacks. In a new policy promoting beautification and environmental sustainability, cleared setback spaces may temporarily be converted to landscaping and greenery at no cost, provided plans are submitted for approval.
Odunlami emphasized that the initiative supports Ogun State’s vision for a cleaner, greener, and more climate-resilient environment while fostering community participation in keeping public spaces orderly.
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