IBRAHIM QUADRI
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday unveiled Electronic Physical Planning Process System (EPPPS), marking a major step in the digital transformation of land administration and urban development in the State.
Speaking at the launch held in Lagos, the governor said the EPPPS platform is a necessary response to Lagos’ rapid population and urban growth, especially in the last six to seven years.
Sanwo-Olu explained that old paper-based systems can no longer support the scale and speed of development in a 21st-century megacity.
The governor said EPPPS will digitalise planning applications, minimise human interference, reduce corruption, support environmental monitoring, and provide accurate data for infrastructure planning and safety regulation.
He added that planning officers will now have access to better tools, including over a thousand newly deployed computers and upgraded digital facilities.
Sanwo-Olu stated that the new platform will shorten approval timelines, eliminate long queues, reduce paperwork, improve staff efficiency, and make Lagos more attractive to investors and developers.
Sanwo-Olu stressed that the project is not about job loss but about empowering professionals with smarter tools and improving service delivery.
The governor said the initiative aligns with the THEMES+ agenda and supports President Bola Tinubu’s vision for transparency, accountability, and a citizen-focused government.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on E-GIS and Urban Development, Dr Olajide Babatunde, described the launch as the fulfillment of a visionary journey that began after a study of economic transformations in Malaysia and Singapore.
Singaporean partners who worked with the Lagos State Government throughout the development process delivered testimonials on the long-standing collaboration.
Raymond Tan noted that Singapore implemented a similar planning and digital design system in 2001, saving the government billions through efficiency and streamlined processes.
He stressed that success in Lagos would depend on strong leadership across all agencies, just as in Singapore.
Tan reassured planning officers that EPPPS will not threaten their jobs, adding that it will rather enhance professionalism, improve decision-making, and support technology-driven workflows.
He also urged industry professionals to embrace the system’s ease of submission, speed of feedback, and digital design compatibility.
Also speaking, the Board Member of Innovacore Technologies PTE Singapore, Steven Chan, traced the partnership back to 2006 when Nova Nigeria engaged Singapore for urban planning support.
Chan said by 2009, Lagos State had sent 100 officers to study government agency operations, fiscal planning systems, and building-control technologies.
Chan acknowledged the challenges faced during implementation — including policy changes, workflow alignment, and evolving approval processes — but noted that the successful launch proves what collaboration, commitment, and technology can achieve.
He, therefore, expressed confidence that EPPPS will deliver faster approvals, strengthen accountability, and support Lagos’ digital transformation goals.
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