FG urges waterfront owners to regularise documentation, abide by law
By Kunle Sanni
The Federal Government has urged all waterfront property owners to ensure their documentation is in order as part of efforts to regularise land ownership across Nigeria.
Making the disclosure on Wednesday, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing statutory frameworks and normalising the ownership of all landed properties nationwide.
Permanent Secretary Dr. Shuaib Belgore explained that the initiative follows a Supreme Court judgment in January 2024, which clarified setback requirements for waterfronts, shorelines, and waterways.
“These steps validate that judgment,” Belgore said, adding that the Honourable Minister, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, had engaged with relevant stakeholders—especially in Lagos State—to secure proper titling, licenses, permits, and other statutory requirements under the exclusive legislative list of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Dr. Belgore noted that the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, along with the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the Lagos State Government, has clearly defined responsibilities for administering landed properties.
He advised all waterfront property owners, as well as dredgers and boat operators, to process the necessary documents to ensure uninterrupted business operations.
Responding to recent publications by the Lagos State Building Control Agency directed at residents of Banana Island, Dr. Belgore emphasized that the Land Use Act, CAP L.5 (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004), and the Second Schedule to the 1999 Constitution vest the Federal Government with authority over all lands along the shorelines. This includes prominent locations such as Banana Island, Osborne Phase I and II, and the Lekki Waterfront.
