According to Dr. Ogbonna Chime, the NITP National President, the 1992 Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Law which was designed by Nigerians to suit Nigerian cities remains unimplemented, decades after its creation.

He shared this during a town hall and leadership training session in Awka, Anambra State.

Outdated Colonial Policies Still in Use

Dr. Chime criticized the continued reliance on planning laws created during colonial times. “The 1946 law was not made for Nigerians—it served colonial interests,” he said.

He pointed out that the 1992 law corrected those gaps and introduced a system that empowered qualified professionals to manage development, inspect buildings, and stop unsafe construction before it starts.

Professionals Left Out of the Process

“The law puts trained town planners in charge at the local level,” Chime explained. “It also brings in architects, surveyors, estate managers, and civil engineers to ensure proper oversight. But none of that is happening because the law is still gathering dust.”

He stressed that the professionals named in the law are not only qualified but also committed to transparency and accountability. “These are people ready to uphold safety even when it’s not popular,” he added.

Enforce the Law, Save Lives

Dr. Chime said the law, if implemented, would drastically reduce structural failures, especially in parts of the country where environmental risks like swamps are not a concern.

“We have the framework. What we lack is the will to implement it,” he said. “No one should still be talking about collapsed buildings in 2025.

A Small Step from the Federal Government

He noted that the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development recently launched a task force to look into causes of building collapse. While he welcomed the move, he insisted that task forces won’t replace what a fully functional planning law can do.

Leadership Starts with Knowledge

The training session in Awka also focused on educating urban planning professionals about their duties and how to better serve the public.

“We’re building leaders, not just planners,” Chime told the attendees.

Planning Is a Team Effort

In his own remarks, Dr. Nwofor Ben, NITP Chairman for Anambra State, said the town hall was a platform to bring planners and policymakers together.

“This is how we clear the grey areas and build a better future for our cities,” he said.

The post Old Law, New Crisis: Why Nigeria’s Buildings Keep Falling appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company PLC (NMRC) recently convened its 10th Annual General Meeting in Lagos to enhance transparency and engage stakeholders. Chaired by Mr. Yemi Adeola, the meeting focused on NMRC’s performance in mortgage refinancing. CEO Mr. Kehinde Ogundimu underscored the company’s capacity to enhance key financial indicators despite a high-interest rate environment in Nigeria.The bank recorded rise in the number of mortgage refinanced in the financial year

The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Thinklab Group on June 5, 2024, at Thinklab Group’s head office in Abuja. The agreement marks a significant step in NITP’s plan to construct a new National Head Office Complex. The project will include the financing and construction of two four-story office buildings by Thinklab Group, to be completed within specified timelines.

The Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) has called on the federal government to ban the importation of construction materials, asserting that Nigeria can produce them domestically. NBRRI Director-General Prof. Samson Duna emphasized that such a ban would promote the use of local materials and suggested either a ban or high taxes on imports to encourage local investment.

READ ALSO: NITP, ThinkLab group Sign MOU for Construction of State-of-the-art National Head Office Complex

The Edo State Development and Property Corporation (ESDPC) plans to construct a 521 housing-unit estate called Esan Garden City Estate in Ekpoma as part of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s strategy to boost the state’s real estate sector. ESDPC Managing Director, John Zedomi, stated that the project will start soon and marks the corporation’s first venture outside Edo South Senatorial District.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo inaugurated 136 housing units in Sokoto, acquired by the state government for distribution to workers. He commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s achievements and acknowledged the guidance of former Governor Aliyu Wamakko. Obasanjo urged the governor to continue his efforts and utilize media to highlight accomplishments.

The Lagos State Government has announced plans to hand over 270 housing units at the Egan-Igando mixed housing estate to the original applicants after a prolonged delay. Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, stated that the inauguration and key handover to the first 270 homeowners will happen on June 6 (today).

READ ALSO: Trending News: Top 10 Stories this Morning

The Senate passed a bill on Wednesday to increase the salaries and benefits of judicial officers in Nigeria. Following a report from the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, if the President approves the bill, the Chief Justice of Nigeria will receive an annual salary of N64 million, the President of the Court of Appeal N62.4 million, and Supreme Court Justices N61.4 million each.

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) announced it will pay out insured deposits of up to N5 million to depositors of the defunct Heritage Bank within one week. NDIC’s Managing Director, Bello Hassan, stated that 99% of the bank’s 2.3 million depositors fall within this category. He also emphasized the NDIC’s commitment to recovering loans under the NDIC Act 2023, leveraging its legal framework for debt recovery.

The Niger State Police Command has refuted claims that insecurity is affecting rescue efforts for trapped miners at the Galadima District mining site. According to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the rescue operation was delayed because of insufficient equipment and intense rock disturbances. However, additional equipment has been brought in to assist with the rescue efforts.

Twenty-five suspects were arraigned before the Chief Magistrate in Oyo State for the killing of Alex Timileyi, a 200-level engineering student at Ajayi Crowther University. Timileyi was beaten to death on May 24, 2023, by colleagues who accused him of stealing a mobile phone. After the incident, the university expelled some students involved and handed them over to the police for prosecution.

The post Trending News: Top 10 Stories this Morning appeared first on Housing TV Africa.