Ogun adopts new building codes to improve urban planning

The Ogun State Government on Monday unveiled five new physical planning regulations and building codes aimed at promoting coordinated urban development, safe construction practices, and environmental sustainability across the state.

Speaking during the public presentation in Abeokuta, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tunji Odunlami, said the reforms were designed to address the challenges of haphazard construction driven by rapid urbanisation.

He said the regulations, recently enacted by the state House of Assembly, include the Ogun State Planning and Development Permit Regulation 2025, Ogun State Slum Regeneration Regulation 2025, Ogun State Building Production Management Regulation 2025, Ogun State Outdoor Physical Furniture Regulation 2025, and Ogun State Layout and Land Subdivision Regulation 2025.

He also disclosed that the House of Assembly approved the Ogun State Building and Construction Code 2025, describing it as the first of its kind in Nigeria, derived from the National Building Code.

“These instruments collectively represent a bold and necessary step towards ensuring that Ogun State remains orderly, safe, environmentally sustainable, and nationally acknowledged in its physical planning and urban development activities.

“They are designed to address our physical planning and development challenges by ensuring proper planning and coordinated urban development, promoting standard and safe building construction practices, enhancing environmental susta inability, among others,” Odunlami said.

Odunlami urged stakeholders in the built environment—including landowners, developers, contractors, artisans, and professionals—to comply fully with the new regulations, stressing that enforcement would be strict.

He said the state government had strengthened relevant agencies under the ministry to ensure efficient service delivery and faster processing of building approvals.

“We have considerably improved and will continuously improve the planning permit processes to deliver permits timeously,” he said.

“We have introduced e-planning in six pilot zones of Isheri, Ota, Abeokuta Metro, Abeokuta Central, Sagamu, and Ijebu-Ode.

“It is now possible for anyone who intends to process planning permit for their development in areas covered by these zones to submit their application online from the comfort of wherever location they are on the surface of the earth,” he added.

The commissioner also warned against the construction of shanties and illegal structures on road setbacks across the state, saying the government would not tolerate violations of physical planning laws.

He stressed that enforcement agencies would take decisive action against defaulters as part of efforts to restore order to urban development in Ogun State.