Lagos Cracks Down On Unsafe Buildings, Seals Hundreds Of Facilities

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Lagos State Government on Monday disclosed that the Lagos State Safety Commission intensified enforcement operations across the state by sealing unsafe facilities and enforcing compliance on more than 2,800 construction sites and businesses between 2025 and 2026.

Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Olugbenga Oyerinde, spoke during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, where he presented the performance report of the Lagos State Safety Commission under the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.

The commissioner said the commission’s operations were aimed at preventing accidents, reducing workplace hazards and strengthening safety culture across critical sectors of the Lagos economy.

According to him, the commission achieved safety compliance certification in over 3,500 construction sites across the state during the review period.

Oyerinde disclosed that more than 2,800 construction sites and facilities found violating safety regulations were subjected to enforcement actions by safety officials.

He further revealed that 100 restaurants and supermarkets were sealed for non-compliance with safety regulations after extensive audits and inspections conducted by the commission.

The commissioner said the commission audited 500 haulage and logistics facilities, 70 oil and gas facilities, 67 transportation companies and 130 high-rise buildings between May 2025 and May 2026.

He added that over 206 manufacturing facilities were inspected, while more than 100 microfinance banks underwent safety audits during the period.

According to Oyerinde, the commission also approved suitability permits for over 50 filling stations statewide and carried out enforcement operations on construction firms and industrial facilities that failed to comply with safety directives.

The commissioner disclosed that 89 contravention notices and 37 stop-work orders were issued to project owners in the Lekki, Oniru and Victoria Island axis over safety infractions capable of causing accidents and structural failures.

He added that 20 facilities were sealed in the corridor, while nine court summons and five hearing notices were issued against defaulting organisations.

In Ikorodu axis alone, Oyerinde said 117 construction sites were inspected, while 82 enforcement operations were carried out against non-compliant industries and construction firms.

The commissioner explained that the Lagos State Safety Commission also intensified public sensitisation campaigns and safety advocacy programmes across schools, markets, hospitality centres and workplaces.

According to him, the commission trained stakeholders on industrial safety, emergency response procedures, fire prevention, machine safety, occupational health and accident prevention.

Oyerinde said safety marshals were deployed to over 1,450 public and private events across the state, including sporting competitions, marathons, weddings and religious gatherings, to ensure crowd safety and emergency preparedness.

He disclosed that the commission investigated seven major accidents involving drowning, electrocution, injuries and fatal structural collapses within the hospitality sector.

The commissioner added that 641 risk assessments and audits were conducted across hotels, lounges, event centres, nightclubs, swimming pools and other hospitality facilities statewide.

He said the commission also promoted safety awareness among students by inaugurating school safety ambassadors drawn from 15 public and private secondary schools in Lagos.

Oyerinde stated that the government remained committed to strengthening safety enforcement, protecting lives and property, and ensuring strict compliance with safety standards across all sectors of the state economy.