The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has launched a renewed campaign to promote the nationwide implementation of the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning (URP) Law, aiming to position urban planning as a central component of the country’s development agenda.
Speaking at the inauguration of a committee to organize a forthcoming stakeholder colloquium, NITP National President, Chime Ogbonna, emphasized the urgency of activating the planning legislation across all states. The colloquium is expected to serve as a forum for engagement with key decision-makers and professionals on how to fully domesticate and operationalize the 1992 URP Law (CAP 138, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004).
“We need a solid legal foundation to guide our development processes. Without it, our planning initiatives will lack direction and effectiveness. The law is critical to achieving sustainable urban and regional growth,” Ogbonna noted.
The planned event will bring together a wide array of participants, including lawmakers, state and local government officials, legal experts, NGOs, and professionals from the built environment sector, all of whom are expected to contribute to shaping a more coordinated approach to planning.
In addition to advocacy through the colloquium, the NITP is expanding strategic partnerships to amplify its message. As part of this effort, Ogbonna recently visited Festus Adebayo, founder of the Abuja International Housing Show (AIHS), to deepen collaboration. AIHS has been a long-standing ally in championing planning and housing reforms in Nigeria.
According to NITP’s National Public Relations Secretary, Jesse Nor, the Institute sees these partnerships as vital to achieving wider recognition of planning as a tool for national transformation.
