The Traffic

FG Sets Up Powerful New Committee to Fix Lagos Waterfront Approvals Once and for All

By Achimi Muktar

After years of overlapping regulations and bureaucratic delays stalling waterfront developments, the Federal Government is stepping in with a bold new move — forming a joint technical committee to streamline shoreline project approvals in Lagos.

The groundbreaking decision, announced on the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (FMHUD) website, follows a high-level meeting on April 30, 2025, between FMHUD and the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) at the ministry’s Abuja headquarters.

At the meeting were Housing Minister Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, NIWA Managing Director Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, and other senior officials — all united by a common goal: to finally bring order to the chaotic approval process for federal shoreline developments in Nigeria’s economic capital.

“This is not just another committee — it’s a game changer,” Arc. Dangiwa declared. “Our operations intersect. We must act together under a unified framework that respects our mandates and ensures lawful, sustainable development.”

The newly formed committee will tackle long-standing regulatory conflicts by creating a standardized, enforceable framework for shoreline licenses. It will also include representatives from other critical stakeholders and work to define long-term development guidelines for Lagos’s high-demand coastlines.

For decades, shoreline developers in Lagos have faced confusion over who regulates what — with the FMHUD managing land titles on federal shorelines, NIWA overseeing inland waterway infrastructure, and the Lagos State Government handling physical planning. This jurisdictional overlap has slowed projects and discouraged investors.

But now, with this inter-agency pact, the federal government is signaling a fresh era of collaboration, clarity, and investor confidence.

NIWA boss Mr. Oyebamiji called the initiative “a significant step” in resolving the turf wars that have historically hindered progress.

“NIWA is fully committed to working with FMHUD and all relevant parties to ensure shoreline projects in Lagos meet the highest standards — legally, environmentally, and structurally,” he said.

This committee is part of the broader vision under President Bola Tinubu’s administration to enhance coordination across federal agencies and promote sustainable infrastructure development across Nigeria.

If successful, Lagos’s waterfront could soon become a model of streamlined development, attracting both local and international investment — and turning red tape into blue ocean opportunity.