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The Lagos State Ministry of Housing has explained why residents in government-owned estates must obtain approval before installing solar panels, following public backlash triggered by a viral video.
The clip, recorded at the Lagos State Millennium Housing Estate in Ibeshe, showed ministry officials confronting a resident over a solar installation carried out without authorisation, sparking widespread reactions online.
Responding, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Abdulhafis Toriola, said the rule is not new and is clearly outlined in the allocation documents issued to homeowners.
“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,” he said.
Toriola explained that government estates are designed as shared housing systems, where facilities such as rooftops, walls and water systems are used collectively by multiple residents within the same block.
“This is to prevent disputes when multiple occupants in a block seek to install solar panels on the same roof,” he added.
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He stressed that the regulation applies only to state-owned estates and does not affect private property owners across Lagos.
The ministry also pointed to safety concerns, noting that unregulated installations had led to structural damage and fire incidents in some estates.
“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.
The viral video featured the resident questioning 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.
The ministry urged allottees to follow due process when making structural changes, maintaining that the approval system is necessary to protect shared infrastructure and ensure safety within government housing estates.
