The Lagos State Ministry of Housing has stated that residents of housing estates owed by government must get approval before installing solar panels or carrying out any external changes to their buildings.
The directive was restated by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Abdulhafis Toriola, following a social media complaint by a resident who queried the need for approval during a routine inspection at the Lagos State Millennium Housing Estate, Ibeshe.
Toriola stated that the requirement applies to all allottees and forms part of the conditions stated in the Letter of Allocation and the Allottees Guide issued at the point of 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,” Toriola said.
He clarified that the rule is geared at protecting shared components within the estates, including rooftops, walls and water systems, while also reducing the risk of fire incidents associated with poorly installed solar systems.
According to him, the ministry introduced stricter guidelines after noticing that solar panel installations were beginning to create more challenges than benefits within 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,” he said.
Toriola explained that government housing estates are designed as shared residential spaces, where multiple families ranging from two to 32 occupy a single building with interconnected facilities.
He stated that the regulations were made to reduce risks that could affect the entire structure.
“In order to minimise risk that will affect the entire building structure, the Ministry made regulations to stipulate guidelines for installation, the quality of materials such as cables and panel configuration, and the technical know-how of the installation personnel,” he added.
The permanent secretary stated that the guidelines also help to protect the interests of all residents, ensure insurance coverage for buildings, and fairly allocate available roof space to prevent disputes among occupants seeking to install solar panels.
He added that the ministry remains open to feedback from residents and has continued public awareness campaigns across estates to educate allottees on compliance.
He appealed to residents to always contact the ministry when in doubt and follow the laid-down procedures to ensure safety, protect building structures and promote peaceful living in all government-owned housing estates.
