Abstract
Rapid urbanisation in Lagos State, Nigeria, has intensified pressure on the built environment, heightening concerns about environmental sustainability and building performance. While sustainable architecture has been promoted as a response to these challenges, its implementation is strongly shaped by regulatory and institutional frameworks. This study assesses the role of development control agencies in enhancing sustainable architecture in Lagos State. A qualitative literature and document analysis was conducted, reviewing approximately 20 relevant publications, from which 8 key studies were selected for in-depth thematic synthesis. The analysis focused on regulatory awareness, enforcement effectiveness, institutional challenges, and the influence of development control processes on architectural outcomes. Findings indicate that development control agencies demonstrate moderate awareness of sustainability principles, but enforcement remains largely compliance-orientated, prioritising spatial order and building safety over environmental performance. Sustainability considerations such as energy efficiency and climate-responsive design are weakly embedded within approval and monitoring processes, limiting regulatory impact. Institutional capacity constraints and poor inter-agency coordination further undermine enforcement effectiveness. The study concludes that development control agencies have significant but underutilised potential to promote sustainable architecture in Lagos State and recommends the integration of explicit sustainability benchmarks and strengthened regulatory capacity.