The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) is intensifying advocacy campaigns to accelerate the implementation of the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning (URP) Law.
According to Chime Ogbonna, National President, NITP the move aims to elevate urban and regional planning to the forefront of national development.
Ogbonna also emphasised the urgency of operationalising the URP Law across all states. “We cannot continue to operate in a vacuum. Without the legal framework in place, planning efforts lack the necessary backing to drive sustainable development. This Law is our compass,” he said.
He said this at the inauguration of a Committee tasked with organising a colloquium aimed at engaging critical stakeholders on the domestication and implementation of the 1992 URP Law (CAP 138, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004).
He explained that stakeholders from the built environment sector, including legislators, state governors, local government chairmen, community-based organisations, NGOs, legal experts, and professional bodies, are expected to converge in Abuja for the event.
According to a statement signed by Jesse Nor, National Public Relations Secretary, NITP, the colloquium is scheduled to take place in October 2025 in Abuja during the NITP National and International Conference.
The Colloquium Committee is chaired by Onibokun Abimbola, with Moses Ogunleye, FNITP and Mukhtar Usman Galadima, serving as first and second vice chairman respectively.
Other members include Chinyere Omeh, Emeka Oko, Chinwe Ekwuribe, Udegbunam Obioma (Secretary), Fumi Osifuye, Mercy Ayuba, and Festus Adebayo, who serves as Special Adviser.
In a related development, NITP has also intensified its partnerships by engaging with the Abuja International Housing Show (AIHS), a long-time ally in promoting planning discourse.
Earlier in the week, Ogbonna paid a courtesy visit to Festus Adebayo, founder and convener of AIHS, to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions.
During the visit, both parties explored innovative ways to scale up planning advocacy at all governance levels. They also discussed media visibility and collaboration opportunities for the upcoming Abuja International Housing Show in July and the NITP conference in October.
Ogbonna noted that the renewed partnership with AIHS signals NITP’s unwavering commitment to creating a national conversation around effective planning legislation and sustainable urban development.