The Apapa GRA Residents Association has called on the Lagos State Government to suspend approvals for warehouses and other commercial developments within the estate, alleging that the permits are altering the character of the historically residential area without adequate consultation with residents.
The association accused the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) of approving commercial warehouse developments within Apapa GRA despite concerns over deteriorating roads, flooding, drainage and the potential impact of increased heavy-duty vehicle traffic.
In an opinion article submitted for publication, the association alleged that several warehouse developments had received government approval within the low-density residential estate.
Among the developments identified by the residents is an electric vehicle assembly facility which they said is owned by Fouani Group.
The association also claimed that several of the warehouse developments were owned by Lebanese-linked companies. It did not, however, provide a list of the companies or documentary evidence establishing their ownership in the material submitted.
The residents argued that their primary concern was the conversion of an area originally intended for residential purposes into a location for warehousing and logistics activities, particularly given the condition of existing infrastructure.
“Apapa GRA was never conceived as an industrial park. It was designed as a residential enclave,” the association said.
It accused the state government of prioritising commercial development over residents’ concerns, alleging that approvals were being granted without sufficient consideration of the consequences for the neighbourhood.
The association particularly identified Oduduwa Road and Park Lane as two state-controlled roads within the GRA that it said were already in poor condition.
According to the residents, the roads suffer from deteriorating surfaces and drainage problems, while parts of the estate experience persistent flooding.
They expressed concern that additional warehouses could bring hundreds of trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles into the neighbourhood, placing further pressure on roads and other infrastructure.
“They are killing Apapa GRA,” a spokesperson for the association said.
“We already battle floods because Oduduwa Road and Park Lane — state roads — are abandoned. Now they want to add warehouses and hundreds of trucks to that misery. Where is the planning?”
The residents also questioned whether adequate consultation preceded the approvals.
The submission cited Lagos-based urban planning consultant Tpl. Kunle Ogunleye as arguing that provisions of the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning Law allow changes to planning arrangements but require appropriate processes, including stakeholder engagement and environmental considerations.
The association alleged that residents were neither consulted nor invited to a town hall meeting before the permits were granted.
It further questioned whether conditions attached to planning approvals, including provisions for parking, drainage and setbacks, would be effectively enforced after construction.
The residents argued that the possible increase in logistics operations could worsen noise, pollution, flooding and road deterioration and ultimately affect the residential character and property values of the area.
They also questioned why warehouse and logistics developments were being approved within Apapa GRA rather than directed to areas specifically designated for industrial and logistics activities.
The association consequently demanded the immediate suspension of the disputed permits and a public hearing involving residents and relevant government authorities.
“We deserve a state government that remembers urban planning is for people, not just ports,” the association said.
The residents maintained that economic development should not come at the expense of residential communities and called for greater transparency over planning decisions affecting Apapa GRA.
The claims regarding the number and ownership of the warehouses, the precise zoning status of the affected properties and whether the approvals complied with applicable planning requirements could not be independently verified from the material provided by the association.
The submission also did not include responses from LASPPPA, the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development or Fouani Group to the allegations raised by the residents.
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