The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has decried the failure of most states to adopt and implement the Urban and Regional Planning Law (Decree 88 of 1992, Cap. 138 LFN 2004), over three decades after its enactment, describing it as a major setback to Nigeria’s pursuit of orderly and sustainable urban development.

Speaking at the National Colloquium on the Implementation of the Urban and Regional Planning Law, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners in Abuja, the minister expressed concern that only two states have domesticated the landmark legislation since its enactment 33 years ago.

“It is regrettable that more than three decades after the promulgation of this progressive law, only two states, including my home state of Katsina, have adopted and operationalised it.

This has contributed to the uncoordinated growth of our cities, the proliferation of informal settlements, and widening gaps between planning ideals and urban realities,” Dangiwa stated.

He commended the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners for convening the national colloquium, describing it as timely and essential for national reflection on how to revitalise planning practice as a tool for sustainable development.

The minister explained, “The 1992 Urban and Regional Planning Law was a bold reform that replaced the obsolete 1946 Town and Country Planning Law, providing, for the first time, a comprehensive framework for land use and physical development across all tiers of government. However, weak institutional capacity, inadequate manpower, poor intergovernmental coordination, and low public awareness have hindered its implementation.”

Dangiwa noted that the realities of rapid urbanisation, climate change, and technological advancement have outpaced the law’s provisions, making its review and update both urgent and necessary.

Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, the minister reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to driving the nationwide adoption, domestication, and effective implementation of the law.

He added that the ministry is also working to review and modernise the legislation to align with current realities and emerging global standards in spatial and physical planning.

“We are determined to ensure that every state of the Federation adopts and operationalises this law. Urban and regional planning is not a theoretical exercise; it is the backbone of sustainable growth, efficient infrastructure, and social well-being,” he said.

Dangiwa hinted that, as part of its reform agenda, they have completed the review of the National Urban Development Policy, approved by the Federal Executive Council, and are finalising the National Physical Planning Standards and the National Policy on Rural Settlements Planning and Development to promote balanced regional development and reduce migration pressures on urban centres.

He further cited the Renewed Hope Housing Programme as a practical demonstration of the integrated land-use and planning principles envisioned by the law, with each housing project reflecting proper spatial planning and environmental sustainability.

“Through the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, we are showing that effective planning leads to better, more liveable, and inclusive communities,” he noted.

The minister urged state governments, professional bodies, and development partners to work collectively to reposition urban and regional planning as a strategic instrument for economic transformation, social equity, and environmental resilience.

Corroborating the above, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Dr Ogbonna Chime, tasked the federal, state, and local governments to take urgent measures aimed at implementing the 1992 Urban and Regional Planning Law for sustainable economic growth and development in Nigeria.

Chime said, “The government promulgated Decree 88 of 1992, later named the URP Law CAP. 138 LFN 2004, to replace the 1946 Town and Country Planning Law of Nigeria, which was a colonial legacy.

“The amendment to the Law was made in 1999, and we are concerned about its implementation due to the far-reaching implications of non-adherence to its provisions for national development planning and efficient resource management in Nigeria.”