Urban planning experts and real estate developers have raised serious concerns about the rapid rise of slums and the disorganised nature of urban development in Lagos and Ogun states. They are calling on both state governments to enforce building regulations more strictly and to provide the basic infrastructure that can support proper city planning.
The call came during a two-day workshop held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, with the theme “The Impact of Emerging Technologies on Urban and Regional Planning: Challenges and Opportunities.” The event was organised by the Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON), and it brought together several industry professionals and policymakers who examined the challenges facing Nigeria’s urban growth.
Babatunde Adeyemo, the Managing Director of Pelican Valley Nigeria Limited, said the main issue in Nigeria’s urban development is not the lack of policies but the failure to implement them effectively. “The problem in Nigeria is not about policy formulation. It is all about implementation,” he said. “You see places being excised for development, but if there are no roads, electricity, or housing, how will people live there?”
Adeyemo pointed to the Muhammadu Buhari Estate in Kobape, Ogun State, as a good example of poor planning execution. He criticised the government for removing villages without having a solid plan for development. “You don’t just clear villages when you can’t ignite development. The government must be strategic,” he warned.
Bisi Adedire, President of ATOPCON, also spoke out strongly against what he described as government actions that weaken town planning laws. He shared an example from Ota, Ogun State, where a Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) issued by the government was later invalidated by the same government. “We wrote to the Governor and several agencies, but till today, there’s been no response,” he said.
Professor Muyiwa Agunbiade of the University of Lagos blamed the poor state of urban planning in Nigeria on the refusal of governments to adopt digital systems. According to him, failure to digitise land planning processes has created chaos in land administration, especially in fast-growing areas like the Mowe–Ibafo corridor. “We knew 20 years ago that Mowe–Ibafo needed planning. Now it’s a mega slum that will cost trillions to fix,” he said. He accused some officials of deliberately avoiding digital solutions because they benefit from the current manual and corruption-prone system.
Odunayo Ojo, Managing Director of UPDC, a major real estate company, said Nigeria must return to law and order in the building sector if development is to be sustained. “No society can move forward without law and order. The private sector thrives when rules are followed,” he stressed.
Responding to the criticisms, Abiodun Adewolu, the Senior Special Adviser to Ogun State Governor on Urban and Regional Planning, acknowledged the challenges in the state. He admitted that poor road networks, water shortages, and overcrowding make planning difficult. However, he urged residents to obey planning laws and avoid illegal constructions. “Planning is to create a liveable environment, but unfortunately, it has been reduced to a source of revenue generation,” he said.
From Lagos State, Oluwole Sotire, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, said that while it is important for citizens to fulfil their tax obligations, the government must also be responsible and accountable. “Whether the system is equitable is another question,” Sotire said. He added that there must be more stakeholder involvement in planning decisions to ensure that everyone benefits from development.
The experts at the workshop agreed on one key point: both Lagos and Ogun states must stop the spread of informal settlements, enforce planning laws already in place, and adopt digital tools for land management. They believe that without this, the dream of well-organised, liveable cities in Nigeria will remain out of reach.
