Unapproved estate developers in Oyo warned to regularise documents

By Adejayan Gbenga –

The Oyo State Government has issued a stern warning to private estate developers operating without approval, urging them to regularise their title documents and planning approvals or face penalties.

The warning was issued by the Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Akin Funmilayo-Williams, during an enforcement operation along the Akinyele–Iseyin corridor earlier this week. She noted a worrying rise in developers clearing land and constructing estates without the requisite approvals from the ministry.

Funmilayo-Williams emphasised that these unapproved developments threaten orderly urban planning, environmental safety, and the implementation of the state’s physical development policies. She added that most of the developers have no official registration or traceable address, with complaints of illegal transactions often emerging only through local reports.

“The enforcement exercise aims to curb indiscriminate construction, assert the ministry’s regulatory authority, and safeguard public interest,” she said.

The commissioner warned that all affected estate developers must regularise their documents within three days of receiving a contravention notice, or risk penalties under the Town and Country Planning Laws.

She further directed developers to liaise directly with the office of the commissioner for guidance, clarification, and compliance directives.