The Lagos State Government has formally transitioned its building approval process to a fully digital platform, allowing developers and property owners to apply for and obtain planning permits online from anywhere in the world.

The move is aimed at improving transparency, accelerating approvals and eliminating opportunities for corruption in the state’s physical planning system.

The initiative, known as the Electronic Planning Permit Processing System (EPPPS), became fully operational on April 1, 2026, marking the end of manual processing of planning permit applications across Nigeria’s commercial capital.

The announcement was contained in a notice published on the Lagos State Government’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, which described the platform as a major milestone in the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s digital governance agenda.

According to the government, the Electronic Planning Permit Processing System was developed to simplify and modernize planning permit administration while making the approval process more accessible, efficient and accountable.

“The Electronic Planning Permit Processing System (EPPPS) is a digital platform created to simplify and modernise how planning permits are processed in Lagos State.

“Now, intending developers/owners of structures in Lagos State can apply for and get approvals for their developments without leaving their homes, from anywhere in the world. It is built to cut stress, speed up approvals, and bring transparency to physical planning across Lagos State.

“EPPPS is powered by the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) and is part of the effort to make planning permits more efficient and accessible for all.”

The introduction of the platform represents one of the most significant reforms to Lagos’ development approval system in recent years. Beyond improving convenience for applicants, the digital platform is expected to strengthen regulatory oversight by creating a centralized electronic database of planning approvals, making it easier for authorities to monitor developments and enforce compliance with building regulations.

The move has also been widely welcomed by stakeholders as an important step toward curbing corruption, discretionary practices and malfeasance that have historically been associated with manual approval processes. By digitizing applications and reducing face-to-face interactions between applicants and officials, the platform is expected to limit opportunities for bribery, unofficial payments, document manipulation and arbitrary delays, while creating an auditable trail for every application submitted.

Urban planning experts have long argued that opaque approval procedures can encourage illegal developments, undermine public confidence and weaken enforcement of planning regulations. The concern has been particularly brought to the fore recently, following incessant incidents of flooding, largely attributed to structures situated on waterways.

The shift to a fully automated system is therefore seen as a governance reform as much as a technological upgrade, introducing greater accountability into an area that directly affects property rights, urban development and public safety.

According to the state government, the EPPPS is fully automated, eliminating human interference in the permit approval process. Officials said the platform is secure, transparent, user-friendly, accessible around the clock and compliant with the National Data Protection Regulation.

The web-based system replaces paper-driven applications, reduces bureaucratic bottlenecks and is expected to significantly shorten processing timelines, enabling developers to track applications electronically rather than relying on multiple visits to government offices.

The reform aligns with a broader global shift toward digital permitting systems, which have become an important feature of modern urban governance. Cities around the world increasingly use electronic planning platforms to improve efficiency, enhance transparency and reduce administrative costs while providing investors with greater certainty over regulatory processes.

For Lagos, where rapid population growth continues to fuel demand for housing, commercial property and infrastructure, efficient planning approvals are seen as critical to sustainable urban development. The state government believes that digitizing approvals will not only improve service delivery but also strengthen development control by ensuring that planning regulations are applied more consistently across the state.

Special Adviser to the Governor on E-GIS and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde, said the electronic platform has become the exclusive channel for processing planning permit applications.

“All applications must now go through the EPPPS platform exclusively. Anyone processing planning permits manually from this date is engaging in an illegal activity,” he said.

His remarks effectively confirm the complete abolition of manual processing, meaning that any planning permit application handled outside the digital platform will no longer be recognized by the government.

The transition is expected to reduce opportunities for unauthorized intermediaries who often exploit applicants by promising to fast-track approvals through unofficial channels. It also provides greater certainty for developers by establishing standardized procedures that are less dependent on individual officials.

The digitalization of planning approvals also complements Lagos State’s broader ambition to improve its ease of doing business. Faster and more predictable regulatory approvals can lower project costs, improve investor confidence and support growth in the real estate, construction and infrastructure sectors, which remain important contributors to economic activity and employment.

The rollout comes as Lagos seeks to significantly expand the number of planning permits issued annually to match the pace of urbanization. In September 2025, the state government announced plans to increase annual building approvals to between 40,000 and 45,000, nearly three times the volume processed in previous years.

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, disclosed that the ministry handled approximately 18,000 planning permit applications in 2024, underscoring the need to improve processing capacity to meet the demands of Africa’s fastest-growing megacity.

He described a planning permit as the “birth certificate” of a building, explaining that it provides legal recognition for developments, supports government planning and ensures property owners are eligible for compensation if land is acquired for public infrastructure projects.

Oluyinka also warned that structures erected without the required planning approvals remain liable to regulatory sanctions, including demolition.

The introduction of the EPPPS is also expected to improve the state’s internally generated revenue by encouraging more property owners to obtain approvals through a simpler and more transparent process. Higher compliance rates would provide the government with more accurate data on new developments, strengthen urban planning, and support infrastructure planning as Lagos continues to expand.

Japan’s imports surged to a record high in June as a weak yen and elevated oil prices sharply increased the country’s import bill, revealing the difficult balancing act facing the Bank of Japan (BOJ) as it seeks to contain inflation without derailing a fragile economic recovery.

Government data released on Wednesday, which was first published by Reuters, showed imports climbed 25.4% from a year earlier to an all-time high of 11.3 trillion yen ($69.25 billion), exceeding economists’ forecast of a 21% increase and marking the fastest pace of growth since November 2022. The surge was driven largely by crude oil, with the depreciation of the yen magnifying the cost of energy imports for the world’s fourth-largest economy.

The figures amplify a growing concern for Japanese policymakers that the country’s currency weakness is becoming a major source of imported inflation. Unlike demand-driven inflation, which reflects stronger consumer spending and wage growth, imported inflation raises living costs by increasing the price of essential goods such as fuel, electricity and food, reducing households’ purchasing power.

That dynamic presents a challenge for the BOJ ahead of its policy meeting next week. The central bank is widely expected to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged, but economists expect policymakers to maintain a hawkish bias, signaling they remain prepared to tighten policy further if inflation proves more persistent.

For years, Japan battled deflation and weak price growth, prompting the BOJ to maintain ultra-loose monetary policy while other major central banks aggressively raised interest rates. The resulting interest rate gap has weighed heavily on the yen, making imports significantly more expensive while boosting the overseas earnings of Japanese exporters.

The latest trade figures illustrate that imbalance.

Although crude oil import volumes fell 13.7% from a year earlier, the value of those imports jumped 59.3%, with the yen-denominated unit cost climbing to a record high. The sharp increase highlights that higher prices, rather than greater demand, are driving Japan’s swelling import bill.

“Japan’s diversification of oil procurement sources is progressing, with purchases from the United States and Russia surging, while declines in imports from the Middle East have moderated,” said Koki Akimoto, an economist at Daiwa Institute of Research.

The shift comes amid Japan’s broader effort to reduce its dependence on Middle Eastern oil as recurring geopolitical tensions threaten global energy supplies. However, the country remains heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels following the reduction of its nuclear power capacity after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, leaving it vulnerable to swings in global commodity prices and exchange rates.

Geopolitical developments continued to influence trade during the reporting period. Although high-level U.S.-Iran peace talks began in late June and crude prices subsequently eased, uncertainty surrounding the conflict disrupted shipping routes and energy markets for much of the month. Renewed hostilities between Iran and the United States in recent weeks have once again raised concerns about potential supply disruptions and higher energy costs.

“While hopes had been rising among major economies for easing inflation and a recovery in growth, prolonged instability could weigh on global economic activity and increase the risk of a broader slowdown,” said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute.

The BOJ has already acknowledged the inflationary implications of the conflict. Earlier this month, the central bank warned that higher energy prices resulting from the Iran war could encourage more companies to raise prices later this year, increasing the likelihood that inflation remains above its 2% target and strengthening the case for additional interest rate hikes.

However, policymakers also see important sources of resilience within Japan’s economy, particularly the global boom in artificial intelligence investment.

That optimism was reflected in June’s export performance.

Exports rose 19.3% from a year earlier, beating economists’ expectations for an 18.6% increase and accelerating from May’s 16.8% growth. The increase was supported by the weaker yen, which enhanced the price competitiveness of Japanese goods abroad, and by robust demand for AI-related infrastructure, including semiconductors, electronic components, chipmaking equipment and data center hardware.

Japan’s technology and industrial sectors are increasingly benefiting from the multiyear AI investment cycle led by major U.S. technology companies, which continue to spend heavily on advanced chips, servers and cloud infrastructure. The sustained expansion of AI-related capital expenditure has become a significant driver of Japanese exports, helping offset weakness in other parts of the global economy.

Exports to the United States rose 13% in June, led by strong automobile shipments. Persistently high gasoline prices encouraged American consumers to purchase more fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles, benefiting Japanese automakers that dominate the hybrid market. The weak yen also improved the international competitiveness of Japanese vehicle exports, supporting manufacturers’ overseas earnings.

Still, the strength in exports was insufficient to offset soaring import costs.

Japan recorded a trade deficit of 406.9 billion yen ($2.49 billion) in June, far wider than the market expectation of a 120 billion yen deficit. The larger-than-expected shortfall illustrates how rapidly rising energy costs continue to outweigh gains from exports, limiting the positive impact of stronger overseas demand.

The widening deficit also highlights a broader structural issue for Japan. While a weaker yen generally boosts exporters by increasing the value of overseas revenues when converted into domestic currency, it simultaneously raises production costs for companies that rely on imported energy and raw materials. Smaller businesses, which have less pricing power than large manufacturers, often struggle to absorb those higher costs, while households face rising prices for electricity, transportation and food.

According to Daiwa’s Akimoto, exchange rate dynamics remain the dominant factor influencing Japan’s trade outlook.

“The yen’s weakness is primarily being driven by Japan’s low interest rates relative to other major central banks and concerns about fiscal policy, rather than the current account balance,” he said.

That suggests the yen may remain under pressure unless the BOJ narrows the interest rate gap with the U.S. Federal Reserve and other major central banks or global investors become more confident about Japan’s fiscal outlook.

Looking ahead, economists expect markets to closely scrutinize next week’s BOJ policy statement for any changes in language regarding inflation risks, wage growth and the pace of future rate increases. While policymakers are unlikely to tighten policy immediately, persistently high import costs, elevated energy prices and continued yen weakness could strengthen the case for further normalization later this year if inflation remains broad-based.