Lagos engages IT firm to develop software for obtaining building permits online

The Lagos government has signed a partnership agreement with Enl-Nova Limited, an information technology company, on the digitisation of building permit issuance in the state.

The signing ceremony was held on Thursday in Alausa, Ikeja.

The state government is expected to make use of the electronic physical planning processing system (EPPPS) developed by the company to ensure full automation of the construction planning process in the state.

Olajide Babatunde, special adviser on planning matters to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, said the EPPPS initiative will ensure residents can “get building approval with minimum human interaction”.

He said the system would ensure online submissions of applications, e-screening, e-assessment, e-payment, e-site inspection, e-planning, e-inspection, complaint mechanism, accountability and transparency of physical planning permits and processes in the state.

“I feel particularly happy today because, with this project, it means that seamlessly with minimum human interaction, you can get building approval from Lagos state,” the governor’s aide said.

“You can input your drawings into a system and the system can approve them within 10 minutes. That is a major landmark. It would be first for Lagos again among all the 36 states and the FCT.”

On his part, Mike Chukwu, chairman of Enl-Nova, promised that the company would deliver on the project to meet the aspirations and yearnings of Lagos residents.

“We are very excited. This is a project that has been in the work for a very long time. It promises a lot for the people of Lagos state,” he said

“We are hoping to reform the system of physical planning and upgrade it so that it will be properly integrated across all the facets of its good planning and most importantly, it will also help and enhance revenue collection for Lagos State Government and block leakages.”

The partnership agreement follows the recent spate of building collapses in the state. At least 14 people died in three building collapses in Lagos in the last year.