What Are Zoning Laws And How Do They Work in Nigeria?

Types of Zoning

Globally and in Nigeria, zoning categories include:

1. Residential Zoning

   • Land for homes, estates, and apartments.

   • Subcategories: low-density (bungalows, duplexes), medium-density (blocks of flats), high-density (multi-storey buildings).
     
     
     

2. Commercial Zoning

   • Land for shops, offices, markets, hotels, malls, and entertainment centres.
     
     
     

3. Industrial Zoning

   • Land for factories, warehouses, and manufacturing plants.
     
     
     

4. Agricultural Zoning

   • Land for farming, livestock, and agro-processing.
     
     
     

5. Mixed-Use Zoning

   • Allows both residential and commercial activities. Example: shops on the ground floor, apartments above.
     
     
     

6. Special Purpose Zoning

   • Land for schools, hospitals, religious centres, government buildings, or recreational parks.

Zoning Laws in Nigeria

Nigeria does not have a single national zoning law. Instead, zoning is regulated at the state and local government level through urban masterplans, development control departments, and land use allocations.

The Legal Foundation: Land Use Act (1978)

The Land Use Act of 1978 vested all land in each state in the hands of the Governor, to hold in trust for the people. Under this law, Governors issue Certificates of Occupancy (C of O), which usually specify approved land use.

State and Local Planning Authorities

• Lagos State: Operates under the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning Law. The Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) enforces zoning.
  
  
  

• Abuja (FCT): Guided by the Abuja Master Plan, with zoning strictly controlled by the Department of Development Control under FCDA.
  
  
  

• Oyo State (Ibadan): Zoning comes through layouts approved by the Oyo State Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

Each state sets zoning based on its masterplans for growth, and they vary from state to state. 

Zoning in Lagos

As Nigeria’s busiest property market, Lagos zoning is crucial:

• High-density zones (Mushin, Ajegunle) allow multi-family housing.

• Medium-density zones (Surulere, Yaba) allow smaller flats and duplexes.

• Low-density zones (Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki Phase 1) are for luxury residences.

• Mixed-use corridors exist along major roads, e.g., Ikorodu Road.

Violating zoning laws in Lagos can lead to demolition by LASPPPA. Many petrol stations, event centres, and even churches have been demolished for violating approved land use.

Zoning in Abuja

Abuja is the strictest city in Nigeria regarding zoning. Its Master Plan, designed in the 1970s, clearly separates:

• Residential districts (e.g., Gwarinpa)

• Commercial districts (Central Business District)

• Industrial districts (Idu, Karmo)

• Special purpose zones (government buildings, diplomatic areas)

Any development that violates the Abuja Master Plan risks demolition by the Department of Development Control. Numerous illegal estates in Lugbe and Kubwa have faced such actions.

Zoning in Ibadan

Ibadan’s growth is guided by state-approved layouts. While not as strictly enforced as Abuja, zoning is still present. Common classifications include:

• Residential layouts (Bodija, Akobo, Alao-Akala Estate).

• Commercial hubs (Dugbe, Challenge, Mokola).

• Mixed-use developments (Ring Road, Gate–Iwo Road corridor).

• Agricultural and peri-urban zones in Ido, Akinyele, Egbeda.

Developers in Ibadan often apply for layout approval from the Oyo State Ministry of Lands before estate projects.