Lagos gives March 31 deadline to building owners

…Register your elevators or face shutdown

By Lukman Olabiyi

Lagos State Safety Commission has issued a directive to building owners, developers and facility managers across the state to register and obtain safety certification for all elevators and other vertical transportation equipment before March 31, 2026.

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Lanre Mojola, announced the ultimatum on Friday, warning that elevators operating without proper registration or certification would be decommissioned after the deadline.

Mojola said the move is aimed at preventing avoidable accidents in the state’s rapidly growing high-rise environment, stressing that elevator safety remains a critical aspect of urban infrastructure.

According to him, all elevators in residential, commercial and public buildings must be registered with the commission and certified before they are put into operation and throughout their service life.

“As the Lagos skyline continues to expand, the increasing reliance on vertical transportation must be matched with strict adherence to safety standards,” Mojola said.

To facilitate compliance, the commission has introduced an online registration platform where building owners can digitally register their elevators and other vertical transportation equipment. The safety agency explained that new elevators installed in both public and private buildings must be inspected before being commissioned, while existing lifts will undergo periodic safety audits to detect possible faults.

Mojola warned that enforcement would begin immediately after the March 31 deadline, adding that any elevator found without a valid registration or safety certificate would be shut down as part of a state-wide compliance exercise.

The commission also urged residents and office users to support the initiative by reporting faulty elevators, missed maintenance schedules or unregistered lifts through its safety hotlines.

The state government said the measure forms part of efforts to strengthen public safety and ensure that property owners comply with established safety standards across the state.