Lagos Unveils Electronic Physical Planning Processing System, Outlaws Manual Permits

The Lagos State Government has officially launched the Electronic Physical Planning Process System (EPPPS), a fully digital platform that replaces all manual and semi-digital processes for building approvals.

The transition took effect on April 1, 2026, and the government has declared any manual processing of permits illegal. The announcement was made by the Special Adviser to the Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde.

Babatunde was unequivocal about the directive, stating, “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”.

He further warned, “Anyone processing planning permits manually from this date is engaging in an illegal activity”. All applications must now be submitted exclusively through the EPPPS online platform.

The EPPPS is a web-based system designed to modernise the operations of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development. It aims to improve transparency, enhance service delivery, and eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks in the approval chain. The platform will also allow users to process authorisations to commence construction works and obtain stage certifications.

To ensure full operational readiness, the government has achieved 100 percent training of personnel and deployed computer systems and internet connectivity across all district offices of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority and the Lagos State Building Control Agency.

A compliance task force has also been established to enforce the governor’s directive and monitor adherence to the new system. The reform is part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s vision to build a more efficient, transparent, and technology-driven governance system.