The Federal Executive Council has endorsed a landmark 10-year National Urban Development Policy that introduces metropolitan planning commissions and embraces the innovative 15-minute city model to transform Nigeria’s rapidly expanding urban regions.
The disclosure was contained in a statement published recently on the official website of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, which described the policy as a “landmark decision” aligned with the Federal Government’s commitment to sustainable urbanisation.
A central feature of the NUDP is urban governance reform. As cities increasingly sprawl across multiple local government areas, the policy recommends establishing metropolitan commissions and regional planning bodies to oversee infrastructure, development, and service delivery across entire urban zones.
The policy incorporates the “15-minute city” concept, which promotes walkable, mixed-use neighbourhoods where residents can access essential services such as work, healthcare, education, and recreation within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. This approach aims to ease traffic congestion, reduce emissions, and improve overall urban liveability.
It stated, “In a landmark decision that underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to sustainable urbanisation, the Federal Executive Council has approved the revised National Urban Development Policy. The policy provides a transformative framework to guide urban planning, development, and governance across Nigeria over the next decade,” the statement read in part.
It added, “A major focus of the policy is the strengthening of urban governance. It advocates the creation of metropolitan commissions and regional planning bodies to manage Nigeria’s fast-growing urban regions and conurbations that cut across administrative boundaries.”
It further added, “The NUDP mainstreams climate resilience into urban planning. It promotes green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, renewable energy adoption, and spatial strategies like compact, walkable neighbourhoods, commonly known as the ’15-minute city’ model, to build cities that are not just liveable but also sustainable.”
The ministry noted that with projections estimating that over 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population will live in urban areas by 2050, a coherent and inclusive governance structure is urgently needed to guide future growth.
The statement noted that the new policy aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and reflects Nigeria’s commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals, the New Urban Agenda, the Paris Agreement, and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
