Lagos Says Approval Required for Solar Panels in Government Estates
Last update: April 23, 2026
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Approval needed before solar panels approval in government-owned estates....
The Lagos State Ministry of Housing said residents of government-owned housing estates must obtain official approval before installing solar panels or making any external alterations to their units.
The clarification followed a viral video showing ministry officials confronting a resident at the Lagos State Millennium Housing Estate, Ibeshe, over an unapproved solar installation.
Permanent Secretary Abdulhafis Toriola said the requirement was outlined in the Letter of Allocation and Allottees Guide issued to beneficiaries at purchase.
“An allottee must obtain approval from the Ministry for any intended alteration to the flat allocated and the building, and this includes installation of solar panels,” the ministry said.
Toriola said state housing estates operate as social housing schemes with shared infrastructure such as rooftops, walls and water systems, often accommodating between two and 32 families per block.
He added that the policy does not apply to private property owners across Lagos.
According to him, the guidelines are designed to protect residents, ensure buildings are properly insured and allocate roof space fairly among occupants.
“This is to prevent disputes when multiple occupants in a block seek to install solar panels on the same roof,” he said.
The ministry said the rules were introduced after unregulated installations led to structural and safety concerns.
“In recent times, the Ministry had to intervene in fixing leaking rooftops and incessant fire outbreaks caused by solar panel installation by some residents,” Toriola said.
He said the regulations also set standards for installation, including material quality, panel configuration and the competence of installers, to minimise risks to shared structures.
The video, posted around April 21, showed officials from the ministry’s Monitoring and Compliance Team questioning a resident over panels installed without a permit and asking him to regularise the setup.
The resident, who recorded the encounter, expressed frustration, saying he was unaware of the requirement.
“They just showed up… saying because we installed solar that we must get permit and approval from them before we can use it. I’ve never heard of this in my life,” he said in the clip.
The footage drew criticism on social media platforms, with some users mistakenly believing the policy applied to all Lagos residents rather than only those in government-owned estates.
The ministry urged allottees to seek clarification when in doubt and comply with the approval process to ensure safety, structural integrity and orderly co-existence in state housing estates.
