President Bola Tinubu has appealed to state governors to avoid giving planning approvals for land without collaborating with the Surveyor General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Works.
He emphasised the need for governors to collaborate with the Federal Government on infrastructural development, particularly concerning some legacy highway projects. President Tinubu made this appeal yesterday during the official inauguration of the access road to the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
“I have directed the Honourable Minister of Works to work with the Surveyor General of the Federation and all the state governors on these legacy projects to procure reasonable setbacks for land future expansion, building of infrastructures to enhance road architecture, and return on Investment.
“Please, our dear governors, let’s work together. Don’t give planning approvals without collaborating with the Surveyor General of the Federation and the Ministry of Works, please, I appeal to you,” Tinubu said.
During the inauguration of Phase 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway on Saturday, Tinubu warned against encroachment on setbacks around federal highways.
Emphasising the point again yesterday, he further stated that any approvals already granted for illegal setbacks would be revoked by the Federal Government.
“I am glad the Deputy Governor of Lagos is here, take it that we will revoke all those approvals, even on the setbacks already given, and please note that we are very serious about this. No more planning approval for those unapproved islands being created illegally,” the President warned.
Setbacks are the distance a building must be from a road or property line, generally ranging from three metres to nine metres. Governors of Kaduna, Abia, Enugu, Borno, and the deputy governor of Lagos State were all present at the inauguration of the access road to the deep-sea port in the Lagos Free Trade Zone.
Other dignitaries present at the event include Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, Chairman of BUA Group, Abdulsamad Rabiu; a billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, founder of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, among several others. Meanwhile, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has named the main road leading to the Dangote Refinery in Lagos after President Bola Tinubu, in honour of his contributions to the project.
Dangote made the announcement yesterday during the official commissioning of the Deep Sea Port Access Road in Lagos State — an infrastructure linking the Dangote Fertiliser Plant to the Eleko Junction.
“The Dangote refinery complex is in many ways your brainchild,” Dangote told the president. “Mr President, let me just say one thing — the main road going into our refinery is now going to be called Bola Ahmed Tinubu Road.”
He lauded Tinubu’s leadership, describing him as a “courageous” and “ambitious” leader whose administration has inspired renewed confidence in private sector investment.
“With continued collaboration and shared resolve, we are confident that the journey ahead will usher in even greater opportunities for our people and our country under your courageous and ambitious leadership,” he said. “Mr President, you are a very courageous leader. Please continue the great work you are doing.
Thank you for your support and encouragement. Definitely, you should expect more, and you should see more, as this has given us the confidence to do more in supporting your government.”
Following the announcement, President Tinubu stood up and shook hands with the President/CEO of the Dangote Group in a moment that drew applause from dignitaries present.
According to Dangote, the deep-sea port access road is “one of eight major projects totalling 500km, including two in Borno State that will link Nigeria to both Chad and Cameroon”.
The newly named road stretches through Epe–IjebuOde and connects to the Sagamu–Benin Expressway, forming a crucial link for logistics and trade in the region.
