The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has expressed commitment to repositioning Nigeria’s towns and cities for national development through the effective implementation of the Urban and Regional Planning (URP) Law.
President of the NITP, Dr Chime Ogbonna, said this on Monday, October 27, 2025, in Abuja at a National Colloquium on the implementation of the 1992 URP Law (CAP N138, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004).
He said the institute, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, would develop a national plan of action to reposition Nigerian urban areas through coordinated and sustainable land use planning.
“The preparation of appropriate land use plans at each level of governance will help integrate economic and environmental interests while mobilising resources and technical skills for infrastructure and service provision,” Ogbonna said.
He noted that some states had begun reviewing their urban and regional planning laws in line with Federal Government expectations to enhance spatial development and resource management.
Ogbonna expressed concern over the slow adoption of the URP Law, warning that poor implementation had far-reaching implications for national development and efficient land use in Nigeria.
“The Federal Government enacted the URP Law to address challenges arising from rapid population growth, uncontrolled urban expansion, inadequate infrastructure, and unregulated settlement patterns,” he said.
He added that the failure to fully implement the law across all levels of government had continued to hinder Nigeria’s economic growth and urban sustainability.
According to him, the URP Law emphasises that urban and regional planning is a residual matter under the Constitution, requiring coordinated action and integration among the federal, state, and local governments.
“It has been observed that, since the enactment of the URP Law, all levels of government are yet to adopt its major provisions to achieve the desired objectives,” Ogbonna said.
He stressed that governments at all levels must play their constitutional roles effectively and foster mutual cooperation to make Nigerian cities responsive, competitive, and efficient in the face of globalisation.
“Development experts increasingly recognise that the daunting challenges of delivering the dividends of democracy are best addressed through partnership and stakeholder collaboration,” he added.
He noted that experiences from other countries had shown that effective collaboration in urban management was key to reducing poverty and attracting foreign investment.
Ogbonna explained that the colloquium was timely, given that land was limited, fixed, and subject to competing uses, which made rational and sustainable management essential for national development.
“These unique attributes of land call for its prudent use to achieve sustainable development, economic growth, and efficient land consumption in Nigeria,” he said.
He added that the colloquium preceded the Institute’s International Annual Conference, aimed at engaging professionals in the built environment and representatives of all levels of government who were direct end users of the URP Law.