Planning laws and policies influencing the use of land in metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria

This study investigates planning laws and policies influencing land use in metropolitan Lagos. Analysis of the laws and policies were presented based on the responses on 755 questionnaires administered on occupiers and users of all categories of land uses in 43 zones into which metropolitan Lagos was divided. The division was based on peculiarities of the land use structure of the city. Among government policies and laws influencing land use in the study area ARE land acquisition policy, master plan, zoning, rent laws, sources of land ownership, building approval procedure, property and land use charge laws. The application of the principal component technique for the analysis shows that zoning and sources of ownership are the two most prominent factors influencing land use in metropolitan Lagos. The study suggests that to achieve sustainable land use in metropolitan Lagos, there is need to re-appraise the position of land acquisition policy, with the view to making proposals which will open up the acquired lands for rational uses by the public and the government. It is also recommended that all levels of government should embark on appropriate planning schemes as they are empowered to do by the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning Law of 1998. Such schemes should give strong consideration to rezoning