General
Lagos to Start Monthly Tenancy in 2022 for Easy Payment
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said by next year, a new policy of monthly tenancy on property occupancy would kick-off.
Speaking at the Lagos Real Estate Market Place Conference and Exhibitions organised by the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, the Governor explained that the concept is not to punish the landlord or reduce the expected revenue of the property owner.
He said monthly tenancy would ease off the pressure of yearly rent on tenants, as the new policy is designed to make people pay their rents according to their monthly earnings.
The policy, Mr Sanwo-Olu said, emanated from an agreement reached by association of tenants, consortium of financiers and the government.
At the two-day event with the theme Lagos: 21st Century Real Estate Investment Hub, the Governor ordered the complete excision on untitled land across the state.
He explained that this is to put an end to the incessant issue of land grabbing in Lagos State, adding that a technical committee will be set up to fine-tune the framework for the excision process on untitled land, with the objective to granting Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) to landowners for transparent sales of the asset.
The Governor condemned an effort by state officials to frustrate and sabotage the full take-off of the state’s Enterprise Geographic Information System (e-GIS) project initiated to automate approval of land surveys and allocation titles in one talk shop.
Mr Sanwo-Olu issued a stern warning, saying he would be ruthless in purging out saboteurs in the ranks of government.
“One of the issues we are working on is the ownership of land. There is a large parcel of land across Lagos that doesn’t have the Government title.
“It is to announce to this gathering that I’ve made up my mind that we are going to do excision for untitled land. This process will kick off next year and we will set up a committee whose composition will represent all traditional divisions in Lagos. With equity and fairness, we will yield proper titles on all the land, so that the issue of land grabbing can be reduced to the minimum.
“We will also be carrying out genuine reform in our Survey Department. We need to have our e-GIS platform up and running after 10 years that it was initiated. I’m expressing my disappointment in some government officials sabotaging these efforts. I will look for the culprits and I will be ruthless in meting out punishment. I will ensure these saboteurs have no place in my government,” he said.
Addressing the cause of the high affordability of property in Lagos, the Governor said the state’s partnership with the private sector had raised the housing stock but added that the non-availability of long-tenure mortgage bonds made it impossible for low-income earners to benefit.
The government, he said, is thinking out of the box to design a financing model that would reduce the burden on mortgage applicants, while also charging real estate developers to reduce the cost of developing property by engaging local competence for skills outsourced to foreigners.
He said: “We should not just build property only for consumers, we must also build skills and integrate them in our built environment to showcase great output. Technical and vocational skills are things we must deliberately harness and reflect in our work. At the end of the day, we must be able to design a housing development and ownership model that is fit for our purpose and peculiar to our local needs.”
Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka, said real estate remained the most sought after investment, noting that the market, apart from creating sustainable jobs, also has the highest potential of growing the economy of any nation.
She said the state government realised the need for investors and consumers to know policies put in place and how the knowledge of all the policies could assist stakeholders in making informed decisions in investing in the real estate market.
Mrs Benson-Awoyinka said: “As a government, we have realised this fact and as such, have been making business-friendly policies that can assist would-be investors and consumers to operate in a conducive business environment.
“LASRERA has strengthened its efforts to make this sector more vibrant by ensuring that practitioners operate within the ambit of the law.
“The agency has registered over 100 individuals and organisations that approached the Government to regularise their operations with us. We have seen positive results from this undertaking, as the State, through the LASRERA, has resolved several reported cases of fraudulent practices brought to the attention of the agency in a very professional manner.”
As a regulator, the Special Adviser urged investors and consumers to make LASRERA their first point of contact before investing in real estate in any part of Lagos.
By Dipo Olowookere
Nigeria’s Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima, will run as the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
President Bola Tinubu retained Mr Shettima as his running mate for re-election next year, according to the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Nentawe Yilwatda.
In a post on Friday on X, the ruling party chairman described this as “another significant milestone in the journey of our great party.”
He also said it reaffirms the party’s collective resolve to sustain the Renewed Hope Agenda and deepen the progress already being recorded across the country.
It was gathered that Mr Tinubu submitted his presidential nomination forms today through his Special Adviser on Political and Other Matters, Mr Ibrahim Masari.
The submission was done ceremony at the Continental Hotel, Abuja, attended by several party chieftains, including The event brought together an impressive array of leaders of our great party, including the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Mr Hope Uzodimma; Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, as well as other governors, party executives and critical stakeholders from across the federation.
“The All Progressives Congress remains focused on strengthening its grassroots support, consolidating the achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda and working together to build a more prosperous, secure and inclusive Nigeria for all,” the party leader stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom after 56 days in captivity.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on X. He revealed that eight of the kidnappers have been arrested and are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), while some others were neutralised during the operation.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.
He said no concession was made to the terrorists to secure the freedom of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Mr Onanuga explained that the kingpin whose release the kidnappers had demanded was neither freed nor spared, as he remains under prosecution for offences linked to his terrorist activities.
The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools: Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
No fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks. During the attack, a teacher, Mr Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.
Another teacher, Mr Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.
The terrorists holding the victims had reportedly made a four-point demand before agreeing to free the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) embarked on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ rescue before suspending the action in July.
It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.
The President’s spokesperson said that security agencies would soon provide a comprehensive account of the operation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The board of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved a $260 million financing package for the construction of a 123-kilometre section of the Trans-Saharan Highway in Nigeria as part of more than $417 million earmarked for strategic projects across West Africa.
The approval was granted during the bank’s 99th Ordinary Session, chaired by its President, Mr George Donkor, according to a statement issued after the meeting. It was noted that the total financing will support five public and private sector projects spanning infrastructure, healthcare, housing, mining, financial resilience and regional connectivity.
EBID said the approved investments underscore its commitment to funding high-impact projects that drive economic growth, create jobs and improve living standards across the sub-region.
“The projects approved during this 99th Board Session demonstrate EBID’s unwavering commitment to financing development solutions that directly improve the lives of West African citizens.
“From clean energy and transport infrastructure to healthcare, housing and financial sector resilience, these investments will strengthen regional competitiveness and support sustainable and inclusive growth across our community,” said Mr Donkor.
That of Nigeria is to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, reduce logistics costs and support economic integration; West African CFA franc (XOF) 10 billion in a line of credit to Banque de l’Habitat de Côte d’Ivoire (BHCI) to expand housing finance and support SMEs operating across the housing and construction value chain; €80 million for the design, construction, equipment and maintenance of the 150-bed Regional Hospital of Ferkessédougou in Côte d’Ivoire under a public-private partnership;
XOF 12.82 billion (West African CFA Franc) for the renovation, operation and maintenance of the Symphonie Building in Abidjan under a public-private partnership and $47.4 million for Azumah Resources Ghana Limited to finance the procurement of long-lead process plant equipment and critical early-stage development activities for the Black Volta Gold Project.
“These approvals advance EBID’s Growth, Resilience and Optimisation (GRO) Strategy, which prioritises transformative infrastructure, human capital development, private sector growth and regional integration. Through these investments, the Bank continues to promote sustainable development and shared prosperity across West Africa,” the statement said.
