Land Allocations on Islands and Lagoons Suspended by FG, Fresh Approvals to Pass Through Surveyor-General’s Office
The Federal Government has suspended all land allocations on islands and lagoons and Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) relating to islands and lagoons, and coastal developments across the country, warning that no further approvals will be recognised unless routed through the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGOF).
The order, which was contained in a presidential directive signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 30 July 2025, is part of renewed efforts to curb haphazard development, enforce urban planning standards, and protect federal infrastructure corridors from unregulated encroachment.
This directive is crucial for managing land allocations on islands and lagoons effectively and ensuring compliance with urban planning standards.
Surveyor-General of the Federation, Abduganiyu Adegbomehin, made the announcement in a statement released on Sunday.
He noted that the directive was not merely administrative but tied to national planning priorities under the Federal Infrastructural Master Plan and the National Geospatial Data Infrastructure Policy (NGDI).
Consequently, all land allocations on islands and lagoons will undergo rigorous scrutiny to prevent future discrepancies.
According to him, “all approved, pending, and intended requests for issuance of Allocations and Certificates of Occupancy on Island and Lagoon Developments are hereby suspended.
“They must be resubmitted for proper survey coordination to the Presidency through the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation.”
The complications arising from uncoordinated land allocations on islands and lagoons have necessitated this intervention.
Developers must adhere strictly to the new regulations regarding land allocations on islands and lagoons.
Thus, all previous land allocations on islands and lagoons not sanctioned by the OSGOF are now invalid.
Those affected by the changes in land allocations on islands and lagoons will receive guidance on the necessary steps to regularise their titles.
NIWA will also play a critical role in overseeing land allocations on islands and lagoons moving forward.
Adegbomehin emphasised that uncoordinated land allocations and constructions along waterways and islands have contributed to distortions in federal infrastructure projects, environmental hazards, and disputes over overlapping land titles.
The Federal Government has also sounded a stern warning to developers and private individuals who may attempt to bypass the new directive.
Any ongoing or future development found to be encroaching on government rights-of-way or constructed without OSGOF’s survey coordination will be marked for demolition.
In addition, all land approvals previously granted by agencies outside the Presidency or OSGOF — including those issued by state ministries, local councils, or other federal parastatals — are declared invalid.
Backdated and irregular titles obtained through such channels are to be revoked immediately.
One of the agencies most directly affected by this order is the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). For years, NIWA had issued approvals for shoreline reclamation and lagoon-based projects, especially in coastal states such as Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta.
However, the new directive strips NIWA of that autonomy, requiring it to forward all past approvals to the Presidency through OSGOF and halting it from issuing fresh permits.
The move is aimed at ending what officials describe as a “confusing overlap of mandates” among government bodies, which has led to regulatory conflicts and litigation.
This centralisation will help in better managing land allocations on islands and lagoons under one authority.
OSGOF reiterated that the decision is fully backed by existing law. Under the Survey Coordination Act, Cap S13, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, the Surveyor-General is the sole authority empowered to regulate, standardise, and harmonise all survey activities across Nigeria.
Any parallel approval system, the statement stressed, undermines the legal framework and jeopardises coordinated development.
The suspension did not come without warning. In December 2024, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, raised the alarm over uncontrolled and illegal developments along the Lagos shoreline.
He lamented that unregulated reclamation works and luxury real estate projects were threatening marine ecosystems and obstructing federal rights-of-way.
At the time, Dangiwa issued a one-month ultimatum to developers to regularise their projects with the relevant authorities or face demolition.
Improper land allocations on islands and lagoons have resulted in various ecological issues, prompting the need for this directive.
Although some adjustments were made, many projects continued to operate in legal limbo, which ultimately laid the groundwork for President Tinubu’s July 2025 sweeping suspension order.
With this measure, the government aims to ensure sustainable land allocations on islands and lagoons that align with environmental standards.
It is crucial for the future of urban planning to consider the implications of land allocations on islands and lagoons.
Stakeholders are encouraged to engage with authorities to discuss future land allocations on islands and lagoons in their regions.
The directive is expected to have far-reaching consequences. Property developers with ongoing projects on reclaimed islands and waterfronts may now face delays, cancellations, or outright demolition if their titles are not regularised through OSGOF.
Investors in luxury estates, resorts, and waterfront properties — particularly in Lagos, where demand for island and lagoon-front housing has exploded — may also experience uncertainty until new approvals are clarified.
For state governments, especially those along the coastal belt, the move represents a centralisation of power in Abuja.
States that had previously partnered with private developers on lagoon reclamation or island construction projects will now have to defer to the Presidency through OSGOF before moving forward.
Experts note that beyond legal and political considerations, the suspension is also linked to environmental protection and climate resilience.
Nigeria’s coastal areas, particularly in Lagos, are already under pressure from rising sea levels, flooding, and poorly planned urbanisation.
Unregulated land reclamation has been blamed for worsening coastal erosion, disrupting waterways, and increasing flood risks during heavy rains.
By halting all approvals and enforcing stricter coordination, the Federal Government aims to align land use with broader sustainable urban planning goals and mitigate the dangers of climate change
With the new directive, the Federal Government has effectively centralised control over island and lagoon land allocations.
While this may cause short-term disruption for developers and investors, authorities insist it is a necessary step to safeguard national infrastructure, protect the environment, and enforce legal order in land administration.
The coming months will determine how strictly the policy is enforced, and whether the government will follow through on its threat to demolish illegal structures already standing on Nigeria’s vulnerable shorelines.