The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, has called for greater collaboration between the real estate, tourism, and hospitality sectors, emphasising that compliance with existing laws remains a vital enabler for sustainable development and economic growth.
She made this call during her address at the 2025 Annual Conference of the Female Lawyers in Real Estate Practice (FELIREP), held on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at Four Points by Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Represented by the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board, Mrs. Bukola Agbaminoja, the commissioner noted that harmonising policies across key sectors will unlock opportunities in hospitality-centric developments such as resorts and cultural tourism zones.
She maintained that the Lagos State Government is aligning real estate with tourism through major projects like the Lagos Waterfront Regeneration and Lekki Creative City, adding that “compliance is not a bottleneck, but rather a catalyst for sustainable growth.”
Also speaking at the event, the Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, represented by the Director of Legal Services in the Ministry of Housing, Mrs. Bukade Idowu Koya, emphasised the importance of strengthening state-level housing policies for improved compliance and sustainable urban development.
He noted that housing policies serve as the backbone of effective urban planning, fostering economic growth, social stability, and human dignity.
In her welcome address, the President of FELIREP, Mrs. Peace Anomneze, painted a stark picture of the challenges confronting the real estate sector in Nigeria.
She highlighted issues such as housing deficits, rampant fraudulent transactions, recurring building collapses, title disputes, and persistent land registry inefficiencies. “Regulatory oversight gaps can cost lives, livelihoods, and ultimately derail economic growth,” she said.
Mrs. Anomneze urged all stakeholders—including legal professionals, government agencies, private investors, and financial institutions—to work together towards harmonising real estate laws at both the federal and state levels to ensure transparency, professionalism, and accountability across the board.
