President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a strong warning to Lagos State and other subnational governments against granting planning approvals for unauthorized coastal islands and infrastructure developments without clearance from the Federal Government.
The warning was delivered on Thursday during the official commissioning of the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road, a key infrastructure project in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
No More Illegal Island Approvals, Tinubu Declares
President Tinubu emphasized that all planning approvals granted on existing road setbacks—without federal collaboration—will be revoked. He emphasized the importance of coordinated urban planning to ensure the long-term integrity of infrastructure and alignment with national development.
“No more planning approvals for those unapproved islands being created illegally,” Tinubu stated firmly.
He added that unauthorized land reclamation and island creation pose a serious threat to sustainable infrastructure, warning that such actions undermine both national development goals and environmental safety.
Call for Coordination With Federal Agencies
The President urged state governors to collaborate with the Surveyor-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Works before issuing any development permits, especially in coastal areas.
“This legacy project must be protected,” he said, referring to the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road.
“We must procure stable setbacks to allow future expansion and avoid undermining our infrastructure.”
Infrastructure and National Development
The Lekki Deep Sea Port is a critical component of Nigeria’s maritime strategy, and Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to modernizing infrastructure, particularly in transportation, logistics, and trade facilitation.
The President’s remarks reflect growing concerns over urban encroachment, unregulated construction, and infrastructure stress in rapidly developing urban centers like Lagos.
