CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 NATIONAL POLICY CONTEXT
1.1.1 Nigeria is situated in the West African sub-region of Sub-Saharan Africa and is located at the geographical coordinates of 10o North 8 East. The country is bounded by the Gulf of Guinea to the south and the Republics of Benin, Niger and Cameroon to the west, north and east respectively. With a population figure of more than 167million, and 50 percent urbanization rate, Nigeria is the most populated and one of the most rapidly urbanizing countries in Africa.
1.1.2 The country has a land area of 923,768 square kilometres, and its natural topographic features consists of lowlands in the coast, along the basins of rivers Niger and Benue, the Niger Delta and north-western areas, plains around the Chad basin, and highlands and plateau around Jos plateau, Adamawa and Mandara highlands and Obudu. The natural vegetation is predominantly rain forest in the south, and northwards are belts of savannah and scrubland which gives way to the Sahara Desert. The country experiences tropical climate, mainly a long wet season in the south, particularly in the south-east, and a short wet season in the north. High temperatures predominate throughout the year.
The average annual maximum temperatures vary from 35oC in the north to 31oC in the south; while the average annual minimum temperatures range from 23oC in the South to 18oC in the North.
1.1.3 Nigeria, which was created in 1914, as a country by the British colonial administrators, became independent in 1960. Three years after independence, Nigeria adopted a Republican constitution, with a three-tier government structure, comprising the Federal, State and Local Governments. Politically, the administrative units of the country have been changed over time. At independence, Nigeria was a federation of three Regions including Northern, Western, and Eastern regions. In 1963, two provinces were detached from the Western Region to form the Mid-Western Region. In 1967, the regions were replaced by 12 States. In 1976, seven new States were created,
making 19 altogether; the Federal Capital Territory (now called Abuja) was formally established in 1991. In 1987, two new States were created, followed by another nine in 1991, bringing the total to 30. Further creation of States in 1996, resulted in the present number of 36 States plus the Federal Capital Territory. Today, the country is divided into six geo-political zones (comprising North-West, North-East, North-central, South-West, South-South and SouthEast), 36 States (federating units), the Federal Capital Territory and 774 Local Governments Areas. Generally, political administration in the country is based on the administrative boundaries of Local Governments, States and Federal Government.
1.1.4 Nigeria’s economic potential is considerable because of the size of its domestic market and its abundant human and natural resource endowment. Nigeria’s economy is dominated by crude oil exports and is characterized by low economic growth. Agriculture contributes 40 percent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The other major contributors are wholesale and retail trade (19 percent) and crude oil and natural gas (15 percent), telecommunications sector (almost 35 percent in 2010 and 2011), although its contribution to GDP is still small (about 6 percent in 2011). Manufacturing remains poorly developed, contributing less than 5 percent to GDP in 2011. Cities in Nigeria are contributing to the national economy as they accommodate both the formal and
informal sectors of the economy. Cities are theatres for interplay of all economic activities apart from agriculture and crude oil. Experts are increasingly recognizing the fact that if the urban centres are planned and managed, they will contribute more to the national GDP.
1.1.5 Nigeria is the most populated and one of the most rapidly urbanizing countries in Africa. The growth of the urban population has been on the increase, rising from about 10 percent in 1950 to 48 percent in 2010 and projected to rise to over 60 percent by year 2025. The rapid population growth has been due to natural increase and in-migration of people from rural areas. While Nigeria continues to experience rapid urban population growth, this is not being matched by adequate planning and management of cities. The lack of planning of urban areas is largely due to the lack of capacity, resources and up to date data to plan properly. Other contributing factors are ineffective development control and inadequate institutional and legal frameworks for promoting urban development. As aptly pointed out in the second National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy document (NEEDS II) for Nigeria, the ‘lack of sustained planning effort, funding of the housing sector and lack of city planning are the major problems facing the cities’ (NEEDS II).
1.1.6 The challenges facing Nigerian cities today have assumed new dimensions. The increasing migration of people into urban areas has resulted in population explosion and housing shortages, pushing people living in cities to locate and build structures in areas which are vulnerable to natural disasters, presenting a significant increase in economic as well as social risk. Furthermore, many fast growing towns and cities are now consuming large amounts of the country’s resources, which on the long run can have substantial negative effects on the
achievement of overall national development objectives. To cope with the epileptic power supply in the country, several urban dwellers now rely more on the use of generators for lighting, which has heightened the contributions of Nigerian cities to green house emissions, making cities increasingly exposed to the adverse effects of climate change.
1.1.7 Successive governments in Nigeria have shown little concern for solving urban problems. Rather, they have directed more efforts towards promoting agriculture and rural development to the neglect of urban development. This nstrategy was adopted to improve rural infrastructure and prevent rural to urban migration. The adopted strategy has, however, not been effective in reducing rural to urban population drift. Despite the fact that Nigeria adopted a robust National Urban Development Policy and enacted a comprehensive Urban and
Regional Planning Act, both in 1992, there had been generally little achievement to show in terms of their implementation. Today, the general apathy towards urban planning still persists in the country. Faced with the
spiralling rate of urbanization, Nigeria needs to accord high priority to urban development issues, especially in light of the fact that urbanization is unstoppable and that cities are the engines that drive the national economy. The Vision 20:2020 document which is targeted at transforming the country to be in the league of the World’s 20 largest economies by 2020, noted that Nigeria is well poised to address the current challenges in promoting sustainable urban development. This is because, urban centres provide the spaces that accommodate the functioning of all sectors of the economy. The document recommends promoting ‘functional cities for rapid economic growth’ and recommends that priority attention should be given to good governance of the urban planning system.
1.2 DEFINITION OF URBAN AND CURRENT RATE OF URBANISATION
IN NIGERIA
1.2.1 There is no universally accepted definition of an urban centre. More often than not, the term ‘urban’ is interpreted in the cultural context. In Nigeria, two different definitions are often used. The first definition of urban is based on the threshold population of 20,000 people, as used by the National Population Bureau in computing the 1963 Census. Unfortunately, successive census conducted in the country since 1963 omitted disaggregation of data by city levels, a practice that has made planning for cites very difficult in Nigeria.
1.2.2 The second definition of an urban area derives from the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which stipulates that ‘all Local Government Headquarters (Hqrs) are urban’ and other areas so defined by States. In this respect, many States in Nigeria have passed laws defining urban areas. Such States include Rivers, Kano, Kaduna, Imo and Nasarawa, among others. Based on the above definitions, many of the existing urban settlements fit neatly into all the set criteria and it is now reckoned that Nigeria had 843
cities in 2004, with no fewer than six of them having a population of 1 million and above.
1.2.3 From 1950 to-date, Nigeria has been on the fast-track of urbanization. In 1950, the proportion of people living in urban centres was estimated as 10 percent of the country’s total population. The current rate of urbanization in Nigeria is put at 50 percent. By implication, as much as 50 percent of the country’s total population live in urban areas, while the remaining 50 percent live in rural areas. At a growth rate of 5.9 percent per annum in most cities, the growth of Nigeria’s urban population is among the highest in the world.
1.2.4 Among the several factors responsible for the country’s rapid urban population growth rates are:
(a) natural population increases arising from high birth and fertility rates due to improvement in health facilities;
(b) rural-urban migration, fuelled by economic factors that is responsible for the push and pull factors of people moving to urban areas in search of jobs and better living conditions in cities;
(c) abandonment of agricultural activities due to the oil boom;
(d) creation of States and Local Governments, and locations of universities, industries, religious camps/retreats, other public investments etc., as the cities selected for hosting these land use activities become hot spots for population growth; and
(e) location and development of new towns, with Abuja as a classic case in point.
1.2.5 The fast pace of urban population growth, resulting in outward expansion of cities, is over-stretching the fiscal, technical, and managerial capacities of the government agencies to effectively manage the various land uses and development challenges, especially at the local and urban levels. The negative
effects of the country’s uncontrolled rapid urbanization on the environment are progressively becoming destructive and there is the need to step up forward looking actions at all levels of governance in the country, to achieve sustainable urbanization.
1.3 URBANISATION: KEY ISSUES
1.3.1 The problems and the challenges created by the rapid urbanization and uncontrolled and unplanned cities are immense. Nigerian towns are growing without adequate planning. Millions of urban dwellers, live in sub-standard and sub-human environment, mainly in slums and shanty settlements. Often, these slums are located on un-authorized marginal lands and flood basins where provisions for housing and social amenities are grossly inadequate. Living in such appalling environment is partly due to poverty and partly due to low level awareness of the risks involved on the part of the people. The absence of effective advocacy and inappropriate programmes for promoting planned urban growth and development has further compounded the present problems. The report of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) on The State of African Cities published in 2008, indicated that cases of serious urban sprawl and emergence of urban corridors exist in many parts of the country, including Lagos-Ibadan, Lagos-Otta, Lagos-Epe, Kano Megacity, Karu-Keffi axis and Onitsha-Ogbaru-Awka corridors of the country.
1.3.2 Towns and cities in Nigeria in general, share three main debilitating characteristics:
(a) gross negligence to formulate, adopt and implement land use master plans for towns and cities due to lack of political commitment as well as the propensity of the people to either shun or side-track applying for planning permit prior to carrying out development;
(b) increasing air pollution arising from the use fossil fuel for cooking, lighting and vehicular locomotion; and
(c) abuses of the natural environment due to lack of adequate land use planning, ineffective development control and poor land husbandry resulting in loss of biodiversity, deforestation, desertification, flooding, soil erosion and pollution of land, air and water.
1.3.3 The city is a major contributor to emissions of Green House Gases (GHG) . As a result, cities are increasingly witnessing the adverse effects of climate change arising from GHG emissions, such as increases in temperatures, flooding and deforestation. Therefore, it is necessary to address the negative effects of climate change in cities, so as to eliminate the negative impacts of climate change on urban dwellers. This can be achieved through adoption of appropriate land use policies and adoption of land use plan for cities, which will ensure that development is not permitted in areas prone to disasters. Other measures include promoting risk, resilient building designs and taking appropriate measures to reduce drastically Green House Gas emissions. Due to
the fact that buildings in urban centres use between 30% and 40% of worldwide energy, comparable levels of GHG emissions can be reduced by paying more attention to the design, production and operation of buildings in urban areas.
1.3.4 The current provisions for housing and associated services and facilities such as water, electricity, health, education, roads, and waste disposal in urban centres are grossly inadequate. Low priority has been accorded to providing housing and other physical and social infrastructure in cities to cope with the demands of the growing population in cities.
1.3.5 Juvenile delinquency and crime rates are increasing in cities due to rising youth unemployment, gradual decline of traditional social values, breakdown of family cohesiveness and community spirit.
1.3.6 There is poor planning and provision for transportation in cities. Intra-city mobility is greatly hindered by the lack of proper planning and management of land uses in cities. The transportation system in general is grossly deficient and structurally defective.
1.3.7 Many towns and cities, which function as capitals of State and Local Governments, are not adequately planned, thus making them ill-equipped for their administrative functions. It is necessary to address the undesirable scenario of letting cities grow without adopting comprehensive land use plans and development control measures as tools and road map for promoting sustainable human settlements planning and management.
1.3.8 Many studies show that cities in Nigeria are not properly governed. This situation accounts for their poor state and retards their ability to fully make significant contributions to the national economy. Many Nigerian cities are subdivided into several Local Governments, militating against their proper governance. There is neither legal provision for it, nor the practice of urban governance. There are no city mayors. There is no institutional structure that enhances good governance of Nigerian cities and towns. Without competent and accountable urban governance, much of the potential contributions of cities to national economic and social development will be lost.
1.3.9. Depending on whose opinion is sought; there is a general cynicism about the lack of capacity, in-efficiency, marginalization and corruption at the Local Government level in the country. Many existing Local Governments lack the capacity to provide efficient service to the people at the level. It is imperative to make the various Local Governments in urban areas to operate effective and efficient governance structures to adequately deliver urban services.
1.3.10 Urbanization is not only inevitable but it is also beneficial to the economy.
Cities in Nigeria, as elsewhere, are major engines of growth and centres of political activity. The implications of Nigeria’s rapid and unplanned urbanization are profound, not just for the people living in cities and towns, but more broadly for the Nigerian economy and, indeed, for peaceful political, social and environmental development. Promoting the development of the cities is, therefore, central to achieving socio-political and economic growth and environmental sustainability of the country. In addition, cities operate in the national human settlements system and there is the need to re-examine the linkages between the development of rural areas and rural peoples and the growth of urban areas.
CHAPTER TWO
PAST PUBLIC RESPONSES AND INTERVENTIONS
2.1. INTRODUCTION
Successive Governments in Nigeria have taken several actions to respond to the increasing urban problems. These responses have been through legislations, adoption of policies, development planning, and implementation of action oriented projects and programmes. A brief review of some of these responses and their achievements are captured under the following two distinct periods:
(i) The Colonial period (1900-1960); and
(ii) The Post-Colonial Period (1960 to date).
2.2 THE COLONIAL PERIOD (1900 – 1960)
(i) The Cantonment Proclamation of 1904 led to the segregation of
European Quarters from the Native Areas for public health and sociological reasons.
(ii) Ordinance No. 9 of 1914 was enacted to empower Government to acquire land compulsorily for public purposes, regardless of whether such land was occupied or not.
(iii) The Road and Township Ordinance No. 29 of 1917 provided for broad physical planning principles for carrying out the layouts of towns.
The Ordinance also classified Nigerian towns into first, second and third class categories, with Lagos as the only first class town. Planning under this law gave rise to the development of several new towns including
Aba, Port-Harcourt, Enugu, Jos, Minna, and Kaduna. The principles of the Ordinance were applied to limited number of indigenous towns.
They were used for the planning of sub-urban expansions to indigenous towns where it gave rise to the development of the European Reservation areas which after independence was renamed Government Reservation Areas and Sabon Garis for the natives, as well as the Commercial Districts.
(iv) In 1924, Town Planning Committees were established for the Northern and Southern Protectorates to vet planning schemes and initiate new ones where necessary.
(v) The Lagos Town Planning Act of 1928 was enacted in response to an outbreak of bubonic plague in Lagos. Under the Act, slum clearance, land reclamation and the development of residential and industrial estates were embarked upon. The Act also provided for the establishment of the Lagos Executive Development Board (LEDB), which initiated the first slum clearance in Lagos.
(vi) The Nigerian Town and Country Planning Ordinance No. 4 of 1946 was enacted to promote the planning and implementation of schemes initiated by the Town Planning Authorities. Although this legislation had a countrywide application, it was sparingly implemented only in few States.
2.3 POST INDEPENDENCE PERIOD (1960 TO DATE)
(i) The First National Development Plan Period (1962-1968) witnessed the establishment of State-owned Housing Corporations, provision of infrastructure in selected towns and the establishment of industrial estates in Lagos, Ikeja, Port- Harcourt and Kaduna.
(ii) The Second National Development Plan (1970-1974) allocated seven percent of the total budget to Town and Country Planning, Housing, Water and Sewerage. This paltry allocation could not make any significant impact on urban development.
(iii) The Third National Development Plan (1975-1980) accorded some importance to Urban and Regional Development. During the period, the following achievements were made:
(a) establishment of a new Federal Ministry responsible for Housing, Urban Development and Environment, which unfortunately was later abolished;
(b) planning and development of many post-independence new towns including the Festival of Traditional Arts and Culture (FESTAC), Satellite Town in Lagos and Abuja as the Federal Capital City, as well as industrial towns like Ajaokuta, Aladja and Onne; and
(c) initiation of the World Bank Assisted States Urban Development Programme, which was a bilateral cooperation agreement between the Bank and the Government of Nigeria for providing sites and services for housing development in urban areas; with pilot projects implemented in Bauchi and Imo States.
(iv) The Fourth National Development Plan (1981-1985) which recognized the role and contributions of Urban and Regional Planning to national development objectives, but failed to make adequate budgetary provision for carrying out planning schemes.
(v) In 1986, the Rolling Plan Concept was introduced but throughout the period of its practice, Town and Country Planning matters continued to receive less than desired attention at all tiers of Government.
(vi) Other policy and legislative measures and projects/programmes put in place by successive administrations, which directly or indirectly impacted on urban development, include the following:
(a) Preparation by the Federal Government in 1974 of studies of twenty major urban centres in Nigeria to identify critical areas of urban infrastructural needs;
(b) Promulgation of the Land Use Decree in 1978 which provides for the control and use of land and to ensure equitable access to it by all Nigerians;
(c) Creation of the Infrastructure Development Fund (IDF) in 1985 for financing urban development projects in collaboration with the World Bank;
(d) Adoption of the first National Housing Policy in 1991. The policy dealt with several urban development issues and advanced several strategies for dealing with them, including easy access to land, urban economy, poverty and employment generation, urban renewal and slum upgrading, urban governance, planning and institutional framework for promoting urban development. The policy also recognized the role of the three tiers
of government in promoting unsustainable urban planning and development in the country. The policy was, however, never really implemented due to absence of a Federal Ministry mandated to coordinate its implementation.
(e) Establishment of an Urban Development Bank in 1992 to focus on
financing urban infrastructure and public utilities;
(f) Enactment of the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Decree
No. 88 of 1992, which assigned the responsibility of physical planning
and development control to the three tiers of government, and the setting
up of other professional bodies;
(g) Preparation of a National Plan of Action to guide human settlements
development in the twenty-first century, in accordance with the
requirements of the 1996 Second United Nations Conference on Human
Settlements (Habitat Agenda);
(h) Initiation and implementation of several programmes and projects on
urban development and management as fallouts of the 1996 Habitat II
Conference. These programmes include the Sustainable Cities
Programme, the Urban Basic Services Programme, Community Upgrading Programme, Safer Cities Programme, the Campaign for Good
Urban Governance, and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development
(NEPAD) Cities programme. In the more recent past, these interventions
also include the application of the Rapid Urban Sector Profiling
(RUSPS) for sustainability in the preparation of structure plans for cities
and the assessment of good urban governance of Nigeria, and
(i) The adoption of the National Building Code in 2008 to regulate building
activities and check the menace of incessant building collapses in the
country.
(vii) Other responses and activities undertaken at the State Government level
include:
(a) establishment of Town Planning Authorities for many Local
Government Areas and Towns;
(b) preparation of a few Planning Schemes usually focusing on the State
Capitals; and
(c) setting up of State Urban Planning and Development Boards in a few
States.
(viii) In order to address critical environmental and socio-economic problems, the
following measures were introduced:
(a) declaration of War Against Indiscipline (WAI) in 1984 to checkmate
misconduct of people in public places such as queuing up in bus stops
and indiscriminate disposal of refuse;
(b) legalization of the monthly national clean-up/sanitation exercise in 1984
in which the last Saturdays of every month was declared environmental
sanitation days in which all Nigerians were expected to carry out routine
clean up exercises of their surroundings;
(c) establishment of Environmental Sanitation Authorities and Waste
Disposal Boards;
(d) establishment of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA)
under Decree No. 59 of 1988; which was repealed by National
Environmental Standards Regulation and Enforcement Agency Act
2007, Section 36;
(e) creation of State Environmental Protection Agencies (SEPA);
(f) adoption of the National Policy on Environment in 1988;
(g) promulgation of the Environmental Impact Assessment Decree of 1992;
(h) formulation of the National Guidelines and Standards for Environmental
Pollution Control in 1992;
(i) the creation of a Federal Ministry of Environment in 2000;
(j) creation of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency
(NOSDRA) in 2005;
(k) establishment of the National Environmental Standards and Regulation
Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Act 2007; and
(l) the creation of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) in
2000.
(ix) Other initiatives undertaken that are related to the National Urban
Development Policy include:
(a) the creation in 1987 of a National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to
address graduate employment;
(b) privatization and commercialization of public enterprises;
(c) introduction of the Federal Urban Mass Transit Programme in 1986;
(d) formulation of the National Construction Policy in 1991;
(e) formulation of an Industrial Policy for Nigeria;
(f) launching of the Vision 2010 in 1996, which adopted the vision of
functional cities for rapid economic growth and recommended the
proper governance of the physical planning system, advanced an
action plan for planning for all the States and Local Government
headquarters in the country by 2020, and the adoption of regional
plans for all the States to achieve balanced regional development;
(g) launching of the National Population Policy in 1998;
(h) launching of the National Economic Policy in 2000;
(i) launching of the National Empowerment and Economic
Development Strategy (NEEDS) I and II in 2000 and 2004
respectively, State’s Empowerment and Economic Development
Strategy (SEEDS) and Local Empowerment and Economic
Development Strategy (LEEDS);
(j) introduction of Vision 20:2020 and the Seven Point Agenda; and,
(k) declaration of the National Transformation Agenda of 2011.
2.4. Despite all these various actions in terms of adoption of legislations and
policies, coupled with other direct and indirect executive responses and
interventions spanning through colonial times to date, Nigeria’s urban problems
still remain seemingly intractable. Nigerian cities are still beset with
environmental degradation and decay, complex housing crises, growing rate of
unemployment and increasing urbanization of poverty as, apparently insoluble
socio-economic problems. Other associated problems are growing insecurity,
ineffective institutional framework for planning, dearth of basic planning data
and the declining economic base and fiscal resources as well as the rising
problems associated with climate change which pose tremendous risks to
people living in urban areas
2.5 The different human settlements development issues requiring new policy
initiatives and actions are many. They include:
(i) Access to land;
(ii) Urban Economy, Poverty and Employment Generation;
(iii) Urban Transportation, Communication and Traffic Management;
(iv) Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrading;
(v) Urban Environment;
(vi) Urban Infrastructure;
(vii) Social Welfare Services and Social Integration;
(viii) Financing Urban Development;
(ix) Urban Management Information System;
(x) Human Resources Development;
(xi) Urban Maintenance System;
(xii) Urban Security;
(xiii) Urban Governance;
(xiv) Urban Planning and Resettlement;
(xv) Mega Cities Development;
(xvi) Climate Change;
(xvii) Effective Devolution of Political Power;
(xviii) Urban Classification; and
(xix) Implementation, Co-ordination, Monitoring and Evaluation
CHAPTER THREE
GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.1.1 Good Governance requires that in promoting sustainable urban development in
the country, greater emphasis should be placed on community participation in
decision-making and programme implementation. Consequently, the roles of
civil societies including neighborhood and community leaders, relevant
professional bodies, chambers of commerce, trade associations, women, youth
organizations, faith-based and Non-Governmental Organizations, in the
governance and management of our cities, need to be more clearly articulated.
3.1.2 The increasing commitment to a free market economy as well as the growing
awareness of communities compel that greater attention be given to partnership
building with the private sector and the communities themselves, in the
delivery of services in urban centres. More importantly, urban centres must
begin to turn increasingly to the capital market to raise the funds necessary to
enable them to function effectively.
3.2 GOAL
The goal of the National Urban Development Policy is to promote a dynamic
system of clearly defined, planned and well-managed urban settlements, which
foster sustainable economic growth, promote efficient and balanced urban and
regional development, as well as ensure improved standard of healthy living
and the well-being of all Nigerians.
3.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
policy objectives:
(i) facilitate efficient urban development, management and good
governance;
(ii) ensure that all tiers of Government effectively carry out their functions
and responsibilities with regard to plan implementation and are
accountable for them;
(iii) establish an appropriate financial mechanism including accountability
among the three tiers of Government, Civil Society Organizations and
Non-Governmental organizations for the implementation of urban
development projects such as slum upgrading, urban renewal and
implementation of physical development plans;
(iv) encourage the institutionalization of urban governance and management;
(v) strengthen the capacity of the urban centres to manage economic growth,
social development and the alleviation of poverty;
(vi) ensure greater participation of the organized private sector in urban
development and enhance urban productivity and competitiveness;
(vii) enhance urban market performance and social welfare;
(viii) ensure the provision of adequate, efficient and functional infrastructure
and social services in all categories of human settlements;
(ix) strengthen the existing laws, policies and programmes that are related to
urban development and management;
(x) ensure synergy among the three tiers of government in urban
management;
(xi) restructure and strengthen institutional arrangements for urban
development;
(xii) ensure a stable, harmonious, secure, inclusive and vibrant urban life; and
(xiii) adopt strategies to boost city-region economies and sustainable
development.
3.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
pursued:
(i) establish an appropriate institutional framework for ensuring orderly
development and efficient management of urban and other settlements;
(ii) maintain and sustain the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban
Development to ensure synergy and coordination of policies and
programmes on urban development matters;
(iii) classify and profile towns and cities in Nigeria for the purpose of policy
interventions;
(iv) review and amend where necessary existing Urban and Regional
Planning Laws and Regulations to ensure their adequacy and relevance
in addressing current urban development problems;
(v) review and restructure all existing public institutions involved in urban
management at the three tiers of Government, and where necessary
create new ones, with a view to ensuring effective responses to the
challenges of urbanization in Nigeria;
(vi) strengthen the capacity of all agencies and bodies charged with the
responsibility of monitoring the implementation of all existing National
Laws and policies related to urban development;
(vii) mobilize funds and ensure the continuous flow of funds from various
sources for urban development;
(viii) strengthen and coordinate the existing fluid land and geographic
information system and encourage an efficient and standardized land
registration system for promoting easy access to land and efficient urban
management;
(ix) ensure government at all tiers acquire satellite imageries, topographic
maps, cadastral maps and other necessary base maps needed for urban
planning and management;
(x) prepare Regional, Master and Development Plans for all designated
urban centres and growth poles within the context of the National
Physical Development Plan;
(xi) adopt Rapid Urban Sector Profiling for Sustainability (RUSPS) and
other relevant methods as tools for accelerated urban planning;
(xii) strengthen the capacity of urban Local Governments to effectively
perform their statutory functions;
(xiii) build and strengthen the capacity of Local and State Governments to
widen their revenue base with a view to enhancing their abilities to
perform their functions effectively;
(xiv) integrate and mainstream into the implementation of the National Urban
Development Policy, provisions of relevant national economic and
social development policies of government to achieve sustainable
economic growth, social welfare and environmental sustainability;
(xv) strengthen the capacity of urban management institutions by increasing
their number and improving the quality of manpower needed for urban
development and management;
(xvi) support and promote on continuous basis, policy oriented researches on
urban development issues, with a view to improving the understanding
of the different land development and management problems and proffer
strategic options for managing change;
(xvii) adopt land use, development strategies, layout plans, design guides and
standards for promoting commercial, industrial and informal activities in
towns and cities to significantly contribute to poverty reduction and
wealth creation programmes,;
(xviii) enhance the contribution of cities to rapid economic growth and provide
for employment and sustainable livelihoods; and
(xix) promote the adoption of city-region plans with emphasis, among others,
on the dynamic socio-economic linkages between urban and rural areas
and ensure adequate provisions for transportation and markets outlets to
boost rural economies.
CHAPTER FOUR
ACCESS TO LAND
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.1.1 One of the major impediments to achieving speedy and well-controlled urban
development in Nigeria is the tremendous difficulty experienced by individuals
and corporate bodies in accessing land for building. This problem has been
partly due to the tortuous process of land acquisition under the Land Use Act
1978. Prior to passing the Land Use Act of 1978, the country operated a dual
system of land tenure. In Northern Nigeria, the British colonial administration
conferred ownership of all land on the Government, and individuals could only
acquire Rights of Occupancy. In Southern Nigeria, customary land tenure
systems subsisted, whereby individual lineages or extended families still had
ownership rights to their land. This dual system of land ownership created
various problems for government, corporate bodies and individuals in acquiring
land for development. The Land Use Act 1978 was passed to harmonize land
ownership. Its underlying aim is to provide easy access to land and make land
available for development. Experience has shown that access to land under the
Land Use Act 1978 has not been easy.
4.1.2 Other impediments to having access to land in urban areas include high land
speculation, poor administration of land records, lack of cadastral, high cost of
obtaining certificate of occupancy, and high land values, which the poor and
other vulnerable groups cannot afford.
4.2 GOAL
To ensure that land is made available for the purposes of promoting controlled
and orderly development in the urban centres.
4.3 OBJECTIVES
4.3.1 In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the
following policy objectives:
(i) to accelerate the growth of urban economies through easy access to large
tracts of land with secure title and thereby reduce the cost of
construction and urban development; and
(ii) to ensure access to land in suitable and planned locations to reduce the
adverse effects and economic costs of unplanned urbanization that could
engender the carrying out of development and result in proliferation of slums and shanties;
4.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) facilitate cooperation and ensure the collaboration between State
Governors and appropriate Federal agencies to facilitate easy access to
land for development by individuals and corporate bodies;
(ii) review the provisions of the Land Use Act 1978 to ensure that the rights
of land owners are guaranteed in line with democratic principles and the
operations of a free market economy;
(iii) build and strengthen the capacities of relevant Ministries, Departments
and Agencies in land administration to facilitate and ensure that private
sector developers have easy access to land for real estate development;
(iv) provide necessary support and incentives to the private sector to
effectively participate in urban development programmes;
(v) promote Public Private Partnership to enhance rapid and effective urban
development;
(vi) review existing Town Planning Regulations and practices and remove all
areas of bottlenecks, with the aim of facilitating private sector
participation in urban development; and
(vii) build and strengthen the capacities of State Planning Boards and Local
Planning Authorities to implement the provisions of Urban and Regional
Planning Laws, so as to achieve orderly and sustainable development of
cities and towns.
CHAPTER FIVE
URBAN ECONOMY, POVERTY REDUCTION AND
EMPLOYMENT GENERATION
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.1.1 In most Nigerian cities, formal sector activities including industries, commerce,
provision of goods and services and administration account for a relatively low
proportion of employment opportunities. The informal sector provides between
70 to 80 percent of employment opportunities for the citizenry. Therefore, most
of the urban poor have gained access to incomes through employment in this
sector.
5.1.2 Urban poverty in Nigeria has also risen sharply in recent years. This is not only
because of the growth in urban population but as a result of the worsening
unemployment situation. While the informal sector is critical for providing
employment for the unemployed, often they do not have the resources to access
land and build functional and decent working environment that would
accommodate their activities. Many times, the informal sector illegally
colonizes marginal lands, incidental open spaces, road verges, streets, foot
bridges, walkways, front yards, backyards, side yards and verandas for carrying
out their trades. Strict enforcements of development control do not support such
illegality, or the kind of spaces that informal activities are carried out in towns
and cities.
5.13 Therefore, among the challenges facing urban planning is how to effectively
accommodate the informal sector in suitable locations, through land use
allocation, building design and development control, to harness their
unquantifiable and unaccounted contributions to economic growth and
sustainable livelihoods. Through positive urban planning responses, the
informal sector can be better managed to reduce their current high figure to an
insignificant level.
5.2. GOAL
The goal of the policy is to promote rapid economic development in urban
areas for the purpose of wealth creation, employment generation and
poverty reduction.
5.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, Government shall pursue the following
policy objectives:
(i) adopt land use plans, standards and guidelines for site planning and
designs for cities which take into account the urban economy and ensure
the purposeful contributions of both the formal and informal sectors to
rapid growth of the urban economy, and sustainable livelihoods for
urban dwellers, especially the urban poor, youth and women; and
(ii) create and expand the urban economy through the development of
industrial estates, business parks, markets, shopping centres, recreational
and tourist resorts, etc, so as to widen the scope and significantly
increase the contributions of cities to national economic growth, poverty
reduction and social welfare.
5.4.1 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) encourage and foster partnership building between all tiers of
government to promote rapid economic development of urban areas;
(ii) recognize and promote the roles and contributions of both formal and
informal sectors to the urban economy and adopt appropriate land use
plans and development control measures for their efficient operations;
(iii) identify, harness and promote local economic development in urban
areas;
(iv) review existing Local Government Bye-Laws to promote economic
development of citizens at the grass root level;
(v) ensure all approved layouts provide land for the development of small
and medium scale enterprises;
(vi) ensure that Town Planning Regulations and Operations are reviewed and
updated to accommodate the needs of informal sector activities for land
uses and buildings in urban centres;
(vii) encourage the Federal and State Ministries charged with the
responsibility of Labour to actively pursue a programme of establishing
Labour Exchanges in all major Nigerian cities to have access to
information concerning the unemployment situation and be in a better
position to assist job seekers in securing employment and build
partnerships with planning agencies to secure good locations;
(viii) strengthen the capacity of the National Directorate of Employment
(NDE) to promote self-start business schemes all over the country.
Greater emphasis shall be given to establishing vocational training
centres, which shall provide unemployed school leavers and graduates
with a range of entrepreneurial and technical skills;
(ix) strengthen the capacity of all tertiary educational institutions as well as
Industrial Development Centres to offer training in entrepreneurship and
provide needed incentives to provide extension service programmes for
enhancing and developing the productive capacity of informal sector
operators;
(x) encourage large scale enterprises and multi-national companies to
undertake projects in urban areas as part of their corporate social
responsibility, and be further encouraged to imbibe the culture of
subcontracting to small enterprises and informal sector operators;
(xi) provide lands for the expansion of local industries and their products in
urban areas to make them competitive and play a key role in the global
economy so as to prevent the influx of imported goods and services;
(xii) support the activities of the organized private sector in all urban areas by
allocating adequate land in urban plans to accommodate large, small and
medium scale enterprises to achieve monetary and fiscal policies and
rapid economic growth; and
(xiii) build partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and
Commercial Banks in the administration of loans for small and medium
enterprises in carrying out site feasibility, appraisal studies and build
partnerships with planning agencies to secure good locations.
CHAPTER SIX
URBAN TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNICATION AND
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
6.1 INTRODUCTION
6.1.1 Transportation is a function of land use. It provides the linkages and channels
for moving people, goods and services. Transport and communication systems
are also essential for accessing markets, employment, schools and other land
uses within and between cities, and in rural and remote areas.
6.1.2 A prominent, but an undesirable feature of Nigerian cities is the endemic traffic
congestion. The average time taken to commute to work in some cities like
Lagos and others is more than two hours. This is because no Nigerian city, as
yet, has an efficient mass transit system. Traffic congestion severely limits
mobility in most urban areas and lowers productivity. Furthermore, the road
networks in many cities are not based on providing a functional hierarchy of
roads for efficient traffic movement and management. Managing urban
transportation and the volume of traffic on our roads should be given a high
priority
6.2 GOAL
The goal of the policy is to ensure the provision of comprehensive networks of
transportation and communication systems of high standard of design,
development and management, for the efficient movement of people, goods and
services.
6.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
policy objectives:
(i) ensure accessibility to all land uses through promoting robust,
functional, hierarchical and well constructed and maintained network of
roads and communication channels;
(ii) Promote a high standard of road design for all urban areas and ensure
their effective linkages with rural areas;
(iii) ensure putting in place environmentally sustainable, safe, accessible,
affordable and efficient modes of transportation and communication
channels in the urban centres;
(iv) promote Public Private Partnerships (PPP), Public-Public Partnerships
(Pb-Pb-P) and encourage community sector and other interested parties
in the provision, operation and management of efficient transportation
and communication facilities in all urban areas;
(v) accord priority to the development, operation and maintenance of mass
transit mode of transport, for efficient and effective movement of people
in urban centres; and
(vi) provide in all urban areas, an efficient and effective mass transit and
communication system to boost the economy and the tourism industry.
6.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) ensure that transportation and communications plans are prepared and
integrated with land use plans and designs for cities, to enhance adequate
relationship between them;
(ii) promote town centre redevelopment, as well as community and
neighborhood upgrading in the core areas of traditional urban centres, to
improve accessibility and movement of people and goods;
(iii) adopt appropriate standards for the design, construction and maintenance
of roads and communication infrastructure, as well as ensure their
compliance with standards;
(iv) ensure that the present pattern of urban sprawl is well contained and
eventually eliminated;
(v) ensure that adequate land is reserved in towns and cities to accommodate
telecommunication facilities and networks and their expansion, and
ensure an expansive system of public telephones;
(vi) ensure coordination of inter-modal and intra- and inter-city movements
for efficient mobility;
(vii) promote and implement measures that discourage the use of private
motorized traffic to reduce traffic congestion and gas emissions, which
are damaging environmentally, economically and socially;
(viii) provide rapid mass transit (metro line, etc.) in Megacities and other
major towns and cities in the country;
(ix) ensure adequate provisions are made for car parking along roads, in
public places, institutions, hotels and public buildings;
(x) integrate land use and transport planning to facilitate access to all
activity centres in towns and cities;
(xi) ensure that road designs and construction provide, encourage and
promote access to electronic information services;
(xii) undertake street naming and house numbering in all categories of human
settlements to facilitate easy location of activities and improve
communication;
(xiii) establish adequate road and design standards to guide and control the
provision and development of transportation and communication
facilities and services in the cities; and
(xiv) promote the establishment of Traffic Management Authority in major
towns and mega-cities.
CHAPTER SEVEN
URBAN RENEWAL AND SLUM UPGRADING
7.1 INTRODUCTION
7.1.1 Nigerian cities have two types of slums and shanty towns: the inner city
slum occupied by indigenes of the city and the peripheral settlement
occupied by migrants. According to the UN-HABITAT, 69 percent of
urban dwellers in Nigeria currently live in slums, shanty towns and squatter
settlements.
7.1.2 Generally, slum dwellers are poor. Therefore, upgrading slums and the
delivery of services to the poor could be an important poverty reduction
strategy. But a slum upgrading project needs to be carefully thought out and
implemented to achieve success. Successful slum upgrading projects
requires strong political will and commitment of visionary leadership,
setting clear targets and engaging stakeholders in the planning and
monitoring process, and making adequate budgetary provisions at all levels
of government. Other success factors include mobilizing non-public sector
resources and preventing the growth of new slums through improved access
to land and services and planning realistically for future growth of cities.
7.2 GOAL
The goal in the context of the National Urban Development Policy shall be to
eliminate slums, shanty towns and squatter settlements in all urban areas with a
view to improving quality of life of the citizenry.
7.3 OBJECTIVES
. In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
policy objectives:
(i) establish and pursue programmes at all levels of government for
upgrading slums, shanty towns and squatter settlements; and
(ii) integrate settlement upgrading with the overall economic development
objectives of the urban centres.
7.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) prepare, adopt, implement, manage and fund strategic land use plans for
all towns and cities, which will include urban renewal and slum
upgrading;
(ii) promote and undertake programmes on low cost housing and urban
services for the urban poor through innovative technologies and in
accordance with the National Housing Policy;
(iii) promote policies, mechanisms and programmes to ensure access to land
and security of tenure for the urban poor in well laid-out serviced
estates;
(iv) empower the disadvantaged groups, notably women, female headed
households, and youth to have access to land and secure tenure;
(v) promote and encourage partnership with all stakeholders for slum
upgrading and urban renewal;
(vi) establish and fund a virile Urban Renewal and Slum-Upgrading
Unit/Department in every Physical Planning Authority, at all tiers of
government;
(vii) ensure community involvement in urban renewal scheme through
participation and consultation, and by providing social and communal
facilities in upgraded areas to enhance their cohesion and communal life;
(viii) promote income generation and create employment opportunities
through development of business parks, markets, skills acquisition and
micro-financing;
(ix) promote community mobilization and participation in developing and
implementing schemes for urban renewal and slum upgrading; and,
(x) promote, provide and support activities that contribute to achieving
sustainable livelihoods for the urban poor and women in implementing
slum upgrading and renewal schemes.
CHAPTER EIGHT
URBAN ENVIRONMENT
8.1 INTRODUCTION
8.1.1 Many critical factors contribute to determine the poor quality of the urban
environment in Nigeria. These include absence of land use plan for cities
coupled with the rapid urbanization that has led to the uncontrollable growth of
cities; the pervasive urban poverty leading to abuses of the environment such as
the proliferation of slums and shanties in urban areas; and the lack of effective
mechanisms for environmental management that account for inability to
effectively control pollution of air, water and land and discharge of wastes.
Essentially, the four-fold increase in urban population within a period of 50
years has led to increased demands and consumption of resources with adverse
impacts on the urban environment.
8.1.2 The most serious sanitation problem in Nigerian cities is the lack of capacity to
manage waste (refuse, sewage, etc.). This has resulted in accumulation of heaps
of refuse that obstruct roads, block channels and drains and constitute health
and safety hazards. Equally of great concern is the preponderance of the use
and littering of the environment with non-degradable materials such as bottles,
polythene bags etc, which, often are not properly disposed of. Also, of great
concern is the lack of adequate provisions for public conveniences in urban
centres that has contributed in no small measure to the undesirable and
indiscriminate discharge of human wastes anywhere in contravention of the law
on public nuisance.
8.1.3 Industrial and hospital wastes represent a special category of urban
environmental problems. Textiles, paints, breweries, slaughterhouses, sugar
refineries, pulp and paper plants, tanneries and Petroleum industries discharge
raw, untreated and often toxic liquid effluents into open drains, channels, rivers,
streams and lagoons. Such toxic and non-toxic wastes from industrial and other
sources degrade the land and pollute surface and underground water in and
around urban centres, making them unsafe for human, agricultural or
recreational use.
8.1.4 Atmospheric pollution is gradually becoming a serious menace in Nigerian
cities. Inefficient energy combustion in the transportation system within the
urban area generates high levels of greenhouse gas emission and creates
localized air pollution. The recent increase in the importation of second-hand
cars, fridges, single engine generators and motor-cycles and their use in urban
centres have accentuated the level of air pollution. The high reliance on the use
of firewood as the main energy source for domestic needs, especially among
the poor, causes pollution and is partly responsible for a variety of health
related problems, particularly among women. The pollution from industries and
the increasing erection of telecommunication masts in residential areas, also
contribute to the overall level of air pollution.
8.1.5 Government’s response to the emerging environmental problems led to the
setting up of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) under the
Federal Environmental Protection Agency Decree No. 58 of 1988. However,
the impact of the Agency, as far as urban environmental problems are
concerned, has been minimal. Similarly, all States have set-up their own State
Environmental Protection Agencies charged with environmental protection.
Unfortunately, many State Environmental Protection Agencies have not been
able to effectively collaborate and work with Local Governments to ensure
efficient waste management. These agencies have limitations in enforcing
environmental standards, especially at the local level. To this end, Government
has now set-up the National Environmental Standards Regulation and
Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and National Oil Spill Detection and
Response Agency (NOSDRA) to enforce environmental protection standards.
8.2 GOAL
The goal of the urban policy in the context of the environment is to make the
urban environment in Nigeria safe, clean, healthy, functional and aesthetically
pleasing.
8.3 OBJECTIVE
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
policy objective:
(i) promotion, improvement and sustenance of high standards of
environmental quality in all urban areas to increase longevity.
8.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objective, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) mobilize and sensitize the three tiers of government in the task of taking
responsibility for improving and sustaining high standard of
environmental quality;
(ii) monitor, encourage, support and empower Local Planning and Health
Authorities and Local Government Environmental Agencies in the
process of managing the environment;
(iii) mobilize and sensitize urban dwellers in the task of taking responsibility
for their environment;
(iv) re-introduce the use of “Sanitary Inspectors” and other environmental
health inspectors to ensure that every home environment is kept safe and
hygienic;
(v) protect and enact appropriate legislation to back up the various
environmental protection conventions signed by the Government;
(vi) ensure stakeholders’ participation in promoting high environmental
standard in our cities which shall include public enlightenment
programmes;
(vii) enforce Developmental Control measures in order to reduce
environmental hazards such as deforestation, oil spillage, desert
encroachment, flooding, gully and coastal erosion, etc.;
(viii) establish mechanism for greater co-ordination among different agencies
concerned with land use and environmental health and safety related
issues at the local level, such as Town Planning Authority, Local Health
Authority, Local Education Authority and Local Works Department, to
devise and implement environmental protection programmes and
projects;
(ix) enforce all relevant laws and regulations on environmental sanitation
and pollution abatement in all urban centres and mega cities;
(x) manage all human settlements so as to mitigate the effects of climate
change;
(xi) provide sufficient, accessible and efficient public conveniences in all
urban areas by Local Governments;
(xii) enforce the law on public nuisance in all towns and cities; and
(xiii) carry out Environmental Impact Assessment for major land use activities
to reduce their impacts on the environment and for the protection of
health, social welfare, safety and the natural environment.
CHAPTER NINE
URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
9.1 INTRODUCTION
9.1.1 Urban infrastructure refers to both physical and social infrastructure. The
former comprises road networks in cities especially in terms of the varied
construction specifications, the system of supply of potable water and
electricity to households and corporate bodies, street lightings, public buildings,
telecommunications and waste disposal facilities. Socio economic infrastructure comprises educational institutions, health facilities of various
categories, public conveniences, burial grounds, town halls, recreation centres,
parks and gardens, markets, motor-parks, abattoirs, and other places serving
largely social functions.
9.1.2 In most Nigerian cities, urban infrastructures, in terms of both the physical and
social infrastructure, are poorly provided for and maintained. The inadequacy
and poor quality of urban infrastructural facilities and services undermine
economic efficiency and compromise the competitiveness of Nigerian cities in
the global economic arena.
9.2 GOAL
The goal of the policy shall be to ensure provision of adequate physical and
social infrastructure for the efficient functioning of Nigerian cities and to
enhance economic growth, adequate housing, provision of basic services, and
movement of persons, goods and services of urban residents.
9.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
policy objectives:
(i) provide adequate physical and social infrastructural facilities to meet the
demands of the growing urban population;
(ii) institutionalize a sound maintenance culture for infrastructural facilities;
(iii) institute enlightenment programmes for the use of infrastructural
facilities; and
(iv) promote partnership with the organized private sector in the provision
and maintenance of urban infrastructure.
9.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) undertake an appraisal of existing network of infrastructural facilities
and specification in all urban centres;
(ii) ensure that adequate spaces are provided in all plans for the provision of
appropriate social infrastructural facilities needed;
(iii) undertake public enlightenment campaigns and mobilize communities to
monitor, prevent and report vandalisation of infrastructure within their
areas;
(iv) ensure that networks of basic infrastructure are provided in advance of
construction of buildings in an area;
(v) ensure utility mapping to safeguard them;
(vi) promote PPP for infrastructural development;
(vii) set up machinery to ensure that construction costs of urban
infrastructural facilities are reasonable;
(viii) ensure synergy and integration of the activities of all agencies connected
with provision of infrastructure in urban areas; and
(ix) establish and enforce guidelines on land use and design standards for the
provision of physical and social infrastructure in urban areas and other
categories of human settlements in the country.
CHAPTER TEN
SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION
10.1 INTRODUCTION
10.1.1 One of the tangible goals of good urban governance activities is to promote
access and adequate social welfare facilities for the citizenry. However, a
comparison of Nigeria with the average performance of other developing
countries shows that the existing provisions for social welfare facilities and
services in Nigerian cities are far below expected standard. Access to
healthcare delivery services and education remain limited, particularly for the
urban poor.
10.1.2 Consequently, the cost of averting a life threatening health virus could push
poor residents further down the spiral of deprivation. Similarly, poor
households are often constrained to introduce their children into the labour
force prematurely. Currently, children participation in productive work is
noticeably on the rise. For most Nigerian cities, poverty leaves a very serious
psychological scar on all members of a poor household.
10.2 GOAL
The goal in this context shall be to contribute to the attainment of national
poverty reduction and social welfare goals and to ensure that urban dwellers
have access to essential facilities and services.
10.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
policy objectives:
(i) ensure adequate provision of urban basic services and amenities such as
education, health and communal facilities;
(ii) provide higher standards of social services to all categories of urban
residents, particularly, the poor and vulnerable groups such as women,
children, the aged and the disabled;
(iii) enhance the capacity of urban authorities to improve the living
conditions as well as the general economic well-being of the citizenry to
have access to social welfare facilities;
(iv) empower all social groups irrespective of their ethnic nationalities or
religious affiliations;
(v) promote various programmes for civic engagement, social participation
and integration in urban centres to achieve an inclusive city and foster
national unity; and
(vi) ensure the creation of social welfare programmes and policies such as
unemployment benefits, old peoples’ homes, etc., to assist the poor and
vulnerable groups.
10.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) accord priority to programmes that enhance employment generation,
wealth creation and poverty reduction for the urban poor and ensure
their integration with land use planning and management in cities;
(ii) Assess existing levels of the provision for social welfare facilities and
provide additional ones to fill the identified gaps;
(iii) institute and implement programmes for the deliberate development of
recreational facilities and open spaces in urban areas;
(iv) promote greater social integration among the different ethnic
communities in Nigerian cities;
(v) establish a forum of leaders of such communities with the support of the
traditional rulers; and
(vi) establish an effective, efficient and functional healthcare delivery,
educational and essential social facilities within easy access of the
citizenry.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
URBAN MAINTENANCE SYSTEM
11.1 INTRODUCTION
11.1.1 Most urban centres in Nigeria are characterized by unkempt and ill maintained
roads, public buildings, open spaces, parks and gardens, among others. Local
roads in urban centres are poorly maintained and inundated with potholes and
silted side drains such that storm water finds flow lines on the carriageways.
This has often resulted in urban flooding and blockages of roadside drains and
channels with garbage to the extent that these have become breeding grounds
for toads, frogs and mosquitoes. The road verges and open spaces have not
been properly maintained and in certain places they are illegally used as open
markets and waste dumps.
11.1.2 In many Nigerian cities, garbage are either strewn on the carriageways or used
to fill potholes on the streets. This condition is inimical to the health and safety
of the citizenry.
11.1.3 Buildings are painted once at construction and never redecorated again. The
overhead electricity and landline telephone cables are strung on poles in an
untidy manner.
11.1.4 Efforts by Government to reduce the extent of living in these unsafe and
unsanitary conditions have not yielded much result because of the lack of
maintenance culture amongst the citizenry.
11.1.5 An acceptable Urban Maintenance System is a means of sustaining high quality
infrastructural facilities and open space service for the general public. It is a
system that helps to maintain focus on the way cities and urban centres should
be kept clean, beautiful and as thriving entities for people to work, live, shop
and enjoy day to day life.
11.1.6 To show the continuous relevance, functionality and aesthetics of facilities such
as buildings, roads, railways, electricity, water supply, and drainage systems,
waste dump sites, shopping malls/plaza, street furniture, etc., it is imperative
that they are adequately serviced and maintained.
11.1.7 The Urban Management Systems in place should provide for several
maintenance services in urban centres. This is to ensure that public facilities are
not degraded or allowed to degenerate as a result of usage. It is imperative to
take adequate care to maintain existing facilities in a sustainable way by
adopting relevant plans and strategies.
11.2 GOAL
The goal is to ensure sustainable maintenance of all the physical assets of urban
centres so that transportation, recreation, commerce and industry, etc. can be
operated at minimal cost for optimum satisfaction and improvement of the
living standard of urban dwellers.
11.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve this goal, the government shall pursue the following
objectives:
(i) Ensure that the existing infrastructure are brought to a desirable
level of serviceability; and,
(ii) Ascertain and build capacity of relevant agencies to maintain all
infrastructure at all stages of their lifespan.
11.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve these objectives, the following strategies shall be adopted:
(i) Enact and pursue appropriate environmental laws for the maintenance of
all infrastructures;
(ii) Establish an Urban Maintenance Board to monitor and enforce
maintenance services for each infrastructure, e.g. buildings,
transportation, open spaces and parks, electricity, water supply,
telecommunication, vehicular parking, solid waste disposal, sewage
systems, etc., to prevent breakdown;
(iii) Generate and provide adequate annual funding for the maintenance of
every infrastructure;
(iv) Ensure that the personnel entrusted with maintenance services are
suitably qualified by training and experience;
(v) Strengthen and improve the capacity of existing maintenance agencies
for effective and optimum performance;
(vi) Promote voluntary compliance through continuous awareness education
and orientation of the public on the need to protect public facilities;
(vii) Ensure community participation by promoting the establishment of
Community Based Organizations (CBO’s), such as Residents
Associations, to assist in maintenance and management of facilities
provided in neighbourhoods and towns;
(viii) Strengthen existing development control and maintenance mechanism in
urban centres to protect designated land uses, public buildings and
spaces from misuse and illegal conversion; and
(ix) Provide for the creation of public facility maintenance department in
each city or Local Government council.
CHAPTER TWELVE
FINANCING URBAN DEVELOPMENT
12.1 INTRODUCTION
12.1.1 Urban authorities face great challenges in providing and maintaining essential
physical and social infrastructure due to resource constraints. As towns and
cities prepare for future development, the primary question that confronts
governments at all levels is how to finance development plans and projects.
12.1.2 The Urban Development Bank of Nigeria, as conceptualized ab initio, did not
sufficiently impact on financing urban development due to structural defects.
As a result, the country currently has a dire need of establishing a viable
specialized urban development finance institution.
12.1.3 The future of urban development finance greatly rests on the willingness of the
private developers, governments and community based organizations (CBOs)
to work together in mobilizing finance for urban development. The benefits of
well-conceived, financed and well-executed urban development projects are
great enough to be shared by these parties. Similarly parties should be willing
to work together to also jointly share costs of urban projects through
collaborative efforts to mobilize finance. There is also a need to expand and
diversify the local tax base and generate additional funds for capital
investments.
12.2 GOAL
The goal of financing urban development in the context of this policy shall,
therefore, be to ensure adequate funding for urban development.
12.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
policy objectives:
(i) mobilize adequate and diversified financial resources required to
provide, maintain and sustain urban development to complement
statutory allocations;
(ii) ensure recovery of costs on investments;
(iii) ensure transparency and accountability in the management of resources;
and
(iv) establish an institutional framework that would be responsible for
the coordination of the financing of urban infrastructure.
12.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) strengthen Urban Planning Authorities and Agencies at the threetiers of
government in resource mobilization;
(ii) build and strengthen the capacity of Local Governments to issue
municipal bonds in the nation’s capital market for the purpose of raising
loans; and
(iii) explore other sources of financing urban development, including through
international organizations.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
URBAN MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
13.0 INTRODUCTION
13.1 The problem of non-adoption of comprehensive land use planning and
management for urban areas in Nigeria has been compounded by the
inadequacy of existing management information required for planning,
development, monitoring and decision making. This has given rise to several
problems such as uncontrolled growth, persistent shortages in provision of
services and facilities, massive loss of revenue and inability of government to
explore new ways of revenue generation.
13.2 A veritable source of data and information on housing and urban areas of the
country is the National Population and Housing Census conducted in 2006 by
the National Population Commission. The Commission collected information
on several aspects of housing, demographic and socio-economic data on the
urban and rural population. The data has been disaggregated to Federal, State
and Local Governments and male and female categories. The data needs to be
further disaggregated to city levels, in order to provide a solid baseline data
that can be used for measuring improvement or otherwise in housing delivery
and in the living conditions of both urban and rural dwellers.
13.2. GOAL
The goal shall be to develop a robust, dynamic, relevant, timely, sustainable
and standardized urban management information system at all tiers of
government that is comparable with international best practices.
13.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
objectives:
(i) ensure that each level of Government develops a robust management
information system that will enhance capacity for efficient and effective
planning and management; and
(ii) promote effective collection, collation and analysis of information at all
tiers of Government.
13.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) procure Satellite Imagery and relevant maps required for planning,
monitoring and management;
(ii) ensure Government, as well as corporate bodies contribute to
socioeconomic and other relevant data collection, collation, analysis and
dissemination in respect of the activities and development projects in
Nigerian urban centres;
(iii) employ cadastral mapping towards identification of wards and
neighbourhood boundaries;
(iv) carry out street naming and house numbering for resource mobilization,
safety, property identification and titling etc;
(v) promote annual publications of statistical information on all aspects of
urban development for informed decision-making;
(vi) adopt Geographic Information System (GIS) and Information
Communication Technology (ICT) for information management of
urban development throughout the country;
(vii) develop urban information system capable of inter and intra agency
sharing; and
(viii) develop and operationalize urban information data bank at city and
Local Government levels.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT
14.1 INTRODUCTION
The fore-going chapters of the National Urban Development Policy has so far
focused on physical planning provision of infrastructure and finance without
adequate attention paid to the demands of all of these on manpower
development. In general, there is an inadequacy in the number and quality of
trained manpower in physical development and urban management to cope
with the enormous challenges of the urban sector in contemporary times. The
recruitment of the requisite human resources will be required on a sustainable
basis.
14.2 GOAL
The goal shall be to provide the right quality and quantity of manpower for
efficient and effective management of human settlements development and
management.
14.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
objectives:
(i) develop appropriate curricular for the training needed for all cadres of
manpower required in the sector;
(ii) employ qualified professionals in the management of urban
development at all tiers of government; and
(iii) ensure continuous training of professionals engaged in both public and
private sectors in urban development and management.
14.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) review existing programmes and curricula of tertiary and
technical institutions and Trade Centres, and design new ones that
will meet the challenges of urbanization and urban management;
(ii) empower the different professional regulatory bodies to support
training programmes, monitor performance of members and
ensure they are equipped with innovative solutions to solve
emerging problems of urbanization and urban management;
(iii) employers of labour should encourage and fund the participation
of staff in continuous professional development;
(iv) promote the modernization of ICT base, and other equipment and
facilities of existing institutions, with a view to enhancing
capacities to adequately train middle and lower level technical
manpower;
(v) increase the number and review the curricula of Technical
Colleges and Trade Centres for training adequate number of
middle level manpower and artisans needed to build and manage
the infrastructural facilities and provide other needed services;
(vi) encourage the development of capacity of the lower and middle
level artisans and technicians; and
(vii) promote advocacy and capacity building of urban organizations,
communities and residents to actively participate in decision
making.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
URBAN SECURITY
15.1 INTRODUCTION
Urban security is the quality or condition of being free from fear, danger, injury
or damage. It is a state of protection against debilitating life-threatening events.
In urban areas, such threats can come from four main sources, namely:
environmental hazards, disasters, violence and social delinquency. Security is
therefore a fundamental human right, as without it no other development can
take place.
15.2 GOAL
The goal shall be to reduce and eliminate insecurity to ensure security of lives
and properties for sustainable urban living and longevity.
15.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
objectives:
(i) ensure that Nigerian cities are safe and secure; and
(ii) ensure that security issues become the concern and responsibility of all
tiers of Government, the private sector, civil society and individuals in
urban centres.
15.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) ensure adequate provision of safety and security services by
professionals in all urban centres;
(ii) ensure that urban planning and development have adequate security and
safety considerations;
(iii) strengthen the concept of community policing by enhancing policecommunity
relationships; enforce urban planning regulations and byelaws that are relevant to security;
(iv) promote the integration of the efforts of the private sector into city-wide
system of security and safety;
(v) promote security education for all citizens to better secure their lives and
properties;
(vi) expand employment generating opportunities as a means of reducing the
risks of violence, crimes, and social disorder that may be caused in urban
areas by angry and unemployed youth; and
(vii) encourage the provision, maintenance and sustainability of the use of
closed circuit television (CCTV) and other technology by all tiers of
government in urban centres.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
URBAN GOVERNANCE
16.1 INTRODUCTION
16.1.1 Urban governance has been defined as the sum total of the many ways in which
individuals and institutions, public, private and civil society organizations
participate in the planning and management of the common affairs of a city. It
is a continuous process through which conflicting or diverse interests of
citizens are accommodated and cooperative action in their resolutions actively
promoted. To effectively promote good urban governance, decision-making
processes must be fully participatory and all inclusive, whilst implementation
strategies and activities must be transparent and accountable to the citizenry.
16.1.2 The Global Campaign for Good Urban Governance (GUG) was launched in
Nigeria in 2001 by the UN-HABITAT in collaboration with the Government of
Nigeria, during which seven norms of good urban governance were adopted for
the country. These norms include civic engagement, solidarity, equity,
transparency and accountability, efficiency in service delivery and security. The
GUG assessment undertaken in 2011 by the National Bureau of Statistics in
collaboration with the National Planning Commission, the Federal Ministry of
Lands, Housing and Urban Development, FCT, the Association of Local
Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and the UN-HABITAT showed that the mechanism for
promoting good urban governance has not been entrenched in Nigeria. This is
because large cities are fragmented into several Local Governments without
overall coordination, and the lack of capacity and political will on the part of
state and Local Governments.
16.2 GOAL
Institutionalize the mechanism and process for promoting inclusive and
equitable urban governance and management.
16.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the
following objectives:
(i) establish an institutional framework for coordinating the promotion of
good governance of cities and towns that have more than one Local
Government;
(ii) strengthen the capacity of urban Local Governments to promote and
adopt essential elements and principles of good governance including
effectiveness, visioning of development, equity, security, resource
mobilization, transparency and accountability, civic engagement and
adoption of citizen’s charter among others, so as to ensure efficient
service delivery, popular participation, transparency and accountability;
(iii) strengthen the capacity of urban Local Governments for visioning of
development;
(iv) encourage and entrench popular participation and public consultation
through consultative assembly among all stakeholders in the decisionmaking process for urban development initiatives; and
(v) build and strengthen the capacities of urban policy makers, managers
and all planning agencies in local leadership and urban governance.
16.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) classify, profile and plan all urban centres to ensure orderly
growth and development interventions;
(ii) encourage involvement of all stakeholders, particularly citizen
participation in the decision-making process;
(iii) establish Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) in all Local
Government Areas;
(iv) strengthen the capacities of all LPAs to collect, collate, analyze,
store and retrieve relevant data for planning, development,
maintenance, and management of urban centres;
(v) foster Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and Public-Public
Partnership (Pb-Pb-P) for efficient service delivery in critical
areas, including waste collection and disposal, maintenance of
parks and gardens, revenue collection etc.; and
(vi) recognize and encourage NGOs, CBOs and FBOs to work with
the people in articulating their development needs, visions and in
engaging with the urban authorities.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
URBAN PLANNING
17.1 INTRODUCTION
Urban planning is a powerful tool for managing urban development because the
land use plan, which is its major output, provides the vision, development goals
and objectives, present and future land use budget and proposals. Essentially it
provides the road map for guiding future development in cities. Unfortunately,
urban planning is yet to be accorded its pride of place in Nigeria as most cities
continue to grow without the benefit of plans to guide such growth, resulting in
non-functional, disorderly, unhealthy, unsafe and aesthetically unappealing
cities and urban areas. There are indications that the few cases of urban
planning undertaken are based on foreign ideology, making them alien and not
very relevant to our culture, as planners have not been sensitive to the realities
of the environment.
17.2 GOAL
The goal shall be to strengthen the capacities of planning authorities to adopt
robust, inclusive and dynamic land use plans to guide the growth of cities and
to enhance these cities to contribute to rapid national economic growth within
the context of the Nigerian culture.
17.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
objectives:
(i) ensure planning authorities at all levels of government adopt Land Use
Plans for their cities in line with the provisions of planning legislations
and this policy;
(ii) sensitize and build capacities for political leaders, city managers and all
other stakeholders for leadership and political commitment to promoting
high standards of urban planning and management; and
(iii) adopt planning concepts, philosophies, designs and standards that meet
the needs of Nigerians.
17.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) review and ensure implementation of the Nigerian Urban and Regional
Planning Act of 1992 and encourage all States to revise existing laws
based on same;
(ii) encourage the preparation and implementation of physical development
plans for all urban centres and other settlements within the context of the
provisions of regional and national physical development plans, as well
as in the context of adopted Federal, States and Local economic
empowerment and development strategies;
(iii) encourage and promote on continuous basis, public enlightenment
campaigns on urban development, stressing the importance of urban
planning for enhanced, livable and efficient cities; and
(iv) encourage the utilization of research and development results in the
planning, development and management of urban centres and other
settlements and the sharing of best practices.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
RESETTLEMENT
18.1 INTRODUCTION
18.1.1 Resettlement becomes necessary due to the occurrence of either one or a
combination of many factors such as natural disasters (earthquakes, flooding
and famine), man-made disasters (fire hazards, wars, communal clashes) and
those arising from deliberate government policies (adjustment of political and
administrative boundaries, construction activities, acquisition for public
purposes). All these disasters may result in the displacement of people from
their physical, social, economic and political environments. In addition,
people’s lives are either disrupted or their production systems may also be
disorganized, resulting in their impoverishment and poverty.
18.1.2 Nigeria has had more than its faire share in occurrence of violent conflicts and
natural disasters that have led to the displacement of several people. Refugees
are usually not well looked after, especially in cases involving destruction of
homes. After the usual short stay in camps, refugees are often left to fend for
themselves. Resettlement programmes in Nigeria as currently carried out needs
to be improved. This calls for the development of comprehensive resettlement
programmes for displaced persons that cater for immediate and post disaster
situation.
18.2. GOAL
The goal shall be to develop a mechanism that will safeguard the interest of the
people to be resettled, so as to ensure sustainable physical and socio-economic
environment as well as to promote the quality of life and living standards of the
affected persons.
18.3. OBJECTIVES
18.3.1 In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
objectives:
(i) build capacity of relevant institutions at all tiers of government for
promoting sustainable resettlements programmes;
(ii) encourage the preparation and adoption of national guidelines and
standards for resettlement;
(iii) ensure the participation of the affected people from the initiation, and
planning stages through implementation, monitoring and evaluation of
the resettlement programmes;
(iv) ensure that the quality of life of the people and their environment after
resettlement are enhanced; and
(v) ensure proper and adequate resettlement of persons displaced due to
either natural or man-made disasters.
18.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) formulate guidelines and set standards for the preparation and
implementation of resettlement schemes;
(ii) ensure comprehensive profiling of the physical, socio-economic and
cultural characteristics of the people and areas to be affected;
(iii) encourage collaboration between and among stakeholders;
(iv) provide a viable and sustainable economic base for the resettled
community;
(v) ensure secured title to the land without the power of alienation for a term
of 10 years, so as to avoid abuses;
(vi) identify, plan and organize suitable sites (e.g. parkland, reserves, etc.)
provided with other primary utilities, for the purpose of providing
environmental respite for the affected persons, for temporary
resettlement intervention programmes;
(vii) ensure the resettlement of persons displaced due to natural and manmade disasters in well-planned, developed and functional settlements for
the tenure of the rehabilitation;
(viii) ensure the proper housing of rightful persons temporarily displaced from
slums for the purpose of regeneration, urban renewal and upgrading in
well-planned settlements, before their final integration into the
regeneration or upgraded schemes; and
(ix) monitor and evaluate resettlement projects and promote best practices
and sharing of information.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
MEGA CITIES DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT
19.1 INTRODUCTION
19.1.1 The term ‘Mega-City’ is used to describe a city made up of urban agglomeration
with a minimum population of ten million, with only Lagos qualifying as a
megacity, going by this definition. Other emerging megacities include Kano, Port
Harcourt, Ibadan, Kaduna, Onitsha and Abuja-Karu-Keffi axis. The experience of
managing Mega-Cities is fraught with extra-ordinary challenges, especially
devising institutional framework for good governance.
19.1.2 The socio-economic and physical attributes of Mega-Cities require the harnessing
of the efforts of the various stakeholders for efficient governance and management.
The collaborative efforts should involve all tiers of Government, Private sector, the
International community and citizenry, in consultation towards effective, efficient
and equitable service delivery, decentralization and sustainability of Mega-Cities.
19.2 GOAL
The goal shall be to establish a functional framework for effective
management of Mega-Cities.
19.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
objectives:
(i) establish national eligibility criteria for the declaration of MegaCity status;
(ii) determine and adopt an appropriate law and guidelines, and establish an
institutional framework for orderly development and efficient
management of Mega-Cities; and
(iii) institutionalize participatory and consultative approaches among
stakeholders, including Governments (Federal, States and Local),
Private Sector organizations, CBOs, NGOS, FBOs, Youth, Men and
Women’s Groups, in tackling the challenges of Mega-Cities;
(iv) encourage joint intervention by constituent settlements that make up the
Mega-City in cases of inter-boundary land use and environmental
protection challenges such as transportation, air and water pollution,
security, etc; and
(v) maintain and share among stakeholders effective urban information
system for physical planning and development.
19.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) institutionalize collaborative effort and approach in overcoming the
challenges associated with Mega-Cities, thereby fostering partnerships
amongst Governments, international agencies, institutions and the
private sector;
(ii) ensure high priority is given to redevelopment of blighted areas within
the Mega-City;
(iii) give priority attention to issues of security, environmental sanitation,
traffic and transportation, housing, slum upgrading, access to basic
services and resource mobilization; and
(iv) review and strengthen existing institutional framework for urban
management.
CHAPTER TWENTY
CLIMATE CHANGE
20.1. INTRODUCTION
20.1.1 The UN-HABITAT, in a recent report on Climate Change, States that urban
settlements are contributing from 60-70% of Green House Gas emissions to
atmospheric pollution. The emission of greenhouse gas is responsible for global
warming and climate change. Nigeria currently experiences several problems
associated with climate change. These include extreme changes in weather
conditions, desertification arising from southern encroachment of the desert
affecting the eleven frontline States in the Northern part of Nigeria, and
occurrences of natural disasters such as flooding, bush fires, rising sea levels,
coastal erosion, threat to recreational water fronts and inland gully erosions.
These problems pose serious threats to security of human life, property, health,
economic and social welfare.
20.1.2 Nigeria has many fast growing urban settlements and lengthy coastlines that are
prone to vagaries of climate and must therefore adopt mitigation and adaptation
strategies. To this end, the National Assembly has passed a new law for the
establishment of a Climate Change Commission that will be charged with the
responsibility of managing and mitigating the negative impacts of climate
change.
20.2. GOAL
The goal is to significantly reduce and manage the various effects of climate
change on urban settlements and the people.
20.3. OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
objectives:
(i) develop an enlightenment programme to inform the citizenry of the
implications of climate change;
(ii) develop and enforce regulations for mitigation measures to reduce
greenhouse gas emission;
(iii) encourage and empower public and private organizations involved in
climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes;
(iv) use urban planning tools (land use and environmental planning,
development control measures, traffic management, natural resources
conservation) to control and considerably reduce the generation and
emission of greenhouse gas in urban areas; and
(v) promote the concept of ‘green and clean cities’ to significantly reduce
the pollution of water, air and land.
20.4. STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) establish a Climate Change Commission as legislated by the National
Assembly;
(ii) establish appropriate rating systems as a method for measuring urban
infrastructure performance against climate change;
(iii) strengthen the capacity of governments at all levels to initiate and
implement programmes against climate change;
(iv) reduce the use of fossil fuel for power generation, transportation and
domestic cooking;
(v) develop and enforce appropriate energy code to optimize the level of
energy consumption;
(vi) increase the proportion of urban green belt and open areas;
(vii) conserve water resources in public and private areas of urban centres;
(viii) recycle exhaustible construction materials in urban development;
(ix) ban the use of building materials known to constitute human health
hazards;
(x) promote land uses that can effectively contribute to greening the city, for
example, afforestation, parks and gardens, urban agriculture, etc.;
(xi) recycle urban wastes, especially non bio degradable ones for further
developmental use;
(xii) encourage the use of rapid mass transit to reduce traffic so as to
significantly minimize carbon emissions into the atmosphere;
(xiii) ensure proper land use planning in urban areas to mitigate the impact of
climate change which includes tree planting, reduction of hard
landscaping, etc.;
(xiv) discourage the use of generators by providing adequate power supply;
(xv) domesticate and enact appropriate legislations, processes and actions to
back up the various Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA),
Conventions and Protocols to which the Nigeria Government is a party;
(xvi) ensure the enforcement of all relevant Laws and Regulations on
Industrial gas and domestic gas emissions;
(xvii) explore opportunities for financing of climate change mitigation and
adaptation measures using the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the
Kyoto Protocol for carbon trading, etc;
(xviii) encourage and support indigenous private expertise and initiatives for
combating climate change, such as the Green Building Council Nigeria
(GBCN), Climate Change Commission;
(xix) sensitize the public on climate change effects, adaptation and mitigation
measures and best practices;
(xx) develop alternative fuel (bio-fuel) for vehicle and domestic
consumption;
(xxi) network and interface with professionals in the built industry to ensure
due consideration in their designs, specifications and construction
methods; and
(xxii) explore and combine the various sources of energy for lighting, cooking
and for other uses to complement the epileptic power supply experienced
in the country, particularly, using solar power to supply electricity to
new estates, for street lighting, etc.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
21.1. INTRODUCTION
One of the challenges of city management in Nigeria is the lack of capacity to
effectively and efficiently manage disasters. Disasters pose serious threats to
human life and properties in settlements. There is therefore the need to adopt
preventive strategies to rehabilitate those affected.
21.2. GOAL
The goal shall be to empower government, agencies and the people to
prevent and effectively manage disasters.
21.3. OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
objectives:
(i) strengthen the capacity of existing agencies at all levels for prevention,
emergency preparedness and management of disasters and risks;
(ii) promote synergies between these agencies and international
organizations, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs, NonGovernmental
Organizations (NGOs), Faith-Based Organizations
(FBOs) and the people towards effective management of disasters; and
(iii) promote disaster-free human settlements.
21.4. STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) establish database for the effective response and management of
environmental disasters and risks in the country;
(ii) prepare, adopt and implement a disaster response plan and emplace a
rapid response team in each urban area;
(iii) ensure the use of existing information to forecast and manage disasters
and risks, and enhance the capacity of critical agencies and relevant
stakeholders in disaster management, in all tiers government;
(iv) ensure the collaboration of the various agencies and stakeholders to
promote an integrated approach to disaster and risks reduction;
(v) develop and implement public enlightenment campaigns on disasters
and its management;
(vi) ensure funding of existing institutions charged with disasters and risks
reduction;
(vii) ensure critical agencies and relevant stakeholders adopt and implement
well coordinated emergency prepared plans for disaster and risks
reduction and management; and
(viii) mainstream disaster prevention and management into urban planning
and management.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
22.1 INTRODUCTION
22.1.1 Urban development is a multi-faceted process engaging the services of multidisciplinary professionals. It entails coordinating and harmonizing the various
land use decisions and building activities of a multitude of actors (Government
Institutions and Agencies, civil society organizations and individuals) by the
established planning agencies at all tiers of Government in the country.
22.1.2 Experience has shown that in Nigeria, many of these actors in urban
development tend to carry out development in isolation and without due regard
to obtaining the required building permit from relevant planning agencies. This
is either because they are not fully aware of their roles and responsibilities, or
because they do not have the requisite capacity, or because they simply do not
want to be law abiding. This kind of negative approach to development is
contrary to the goals and objectives of urban and regional planning of achieving
dynamic, well-planned and managed urban centres. It is, therefore, necessary
to establish an effective and sustainable institutional framework for promoting
urban development and management in Nigeria.
22.2 GOAL
The goal is to ensure that all actors responsible for promoting sustainable
human settlements function optimally and collaborate to promote land use
development to achieve environmental sustainability.
22.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
objectives:
(i) ensure the establishment of a virile framework and mechanism for
promoting the participation and collaboration of major actors involved
in the process of urban development and management;
(ii) develop capacity and promote a shared understanding, by all actors, of
their roles and responsibilities in urban development and management;
and
(iii) build capacities of relevant agencies and actors to effectively perform
their roles and responsibilities in promoting urban development and
management.
22.4 STRATEGIES
22.4.1 The Role of Federal Government:
The Federal Government shall in partnership with all relevant stakeholders
initiate, define, and coordinate urban development functions including
devising legislative and policy options and instruments for achieving
sustainable human settlement development in Nigeria, including Urban
Renewal, Slum Upgrading, and New Towns Development.
22.4.2 The Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development shall be
empowered to carry out its statutory functions, which among others shall
include the following:
(i) coordinate and supervise the formulation, implementation, monitoring
and evaluation of National Policies on Urban and Regional Planning and
Development;
(ii) review the existing legislations in the Urban Development sector with a
view to achieving the goals of sustainable human settlements
development and management;
(iii) liaise with external bodies and international organizations, including
bilateral and multilateral agencies, in matters related to promoting
adequate shelter and sustainable human settlements planning,
development and management;
(iv) coordinate the activities of other Agencies of Government at all levels in
all areas of Urban and Regional Planning and Development;
(v) supervise the activities of the physical planning regulatory bodies;
(vi) establish and maintain National Urban Management Information
System;
(vii) undertake advocacy in urban and regional planning and development
matters; and
(viii) establish the National Urban and Regional Planning Commission as
prescribed by the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Law Act no 88
of 1992.
22.4.3 State Governments shall be encouraged to perform the following functions
within the context of this policy and other related matters:
(i) establish the State Urban and Regional Development Board to be
charged with the overall responsibility for land use planning, monitoring
and management of urban development in the State;
(ii) formulate state level urban development policies and strategies based on
the provisions of the National Urban Development Policy;
(iii) prepare State Physical Development Plans to achieve the goals and
objectives of the National Policy and related National policies on
economy and social welfare of the people;
(iv) monitor the planning activities of the Local Governments, and Urban
Development Authorities in the State;
(v) build capacity of Local Governments for urban development and
management;
(vi) ensure manpower development for effective urban management at Local
Government level;
(vii) promote public enlightenment campaigns and advocacy on urban
development matters, with a view to broadening the knowledge base of
the people to raise their awareness and acceptance of urban planning at
urban and Local Government levels;
(viii) establish a Planning Appeal Tribunal, which shall be responsible for
hearing appeals from aggrieved persons whose applications for
development permit have been refused by planning authorities;
(ix) build and enhance capacities of urban centres and Local Governments by
setting up well funded and staffed planning authorities charged with the
overall responsibility for formulating and implementing Regional Plans,
Urban Plans, Subject Plans, Action Plans, etc.;
(x) ensure synergy among urban development authorities, Local
Governments and other actors;
(xi) ensure monitoring and evaluation of the activities of Local Governments
and other actors; and
(xii) establish an information system for urban planning and urban
management.
22.4.4 All Local Governments and Urban Development Boards/Authorities shall
be encouraged to act within the context of the State Urban Development Policy
and shall perform the following functions, among others:
(i) establish Local Planning Authority to administer planning at Local
Government level;
(ii) empower Local Planning Authorities and Urban Development
Authorities to prepare and adopt appropriate local plans, town plans and
subject plans for their area;
(iii) Undertake the control of development in their area; and
(iv) Establish a Planning Appeal Committee, which shall be responsible for
hearing appeals from aggrieved persons whose applications for planning
permit has been refused.
22.5 ROLE OF NATIONAL HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
REGULATORY COMMISSION
22.5.1 To effectively enhance the implementation of the National Urban
Development Policy, there is the need to set-up an appropriate Institution to
effectively coordinate the various efforts of other agencies and regulate the
process to enhance sustainable human settlements development in Nigeria.
For this purpose a National Housing and Urban Development Commission
shall be established. The role of the Commission, in addition to those
functions listed in the National Housing Policy, shall be to:
(i) develop and enforce appropriate guidelines and standards for the
regulation of the urban development sector;
(ii) enforce compliance with the provisions of the National Building Code
and Urban and Regional Planning Law, Standards and other regulations;
(iii) support public and private sector institutions, and other relevant partners
in capacity building initiatives;
(iv) collect, collate, store and disseminate data and research findings to
stakeholders in the urban development sector for achieving sustainable
human settlements; and
(v) produce and publish periodic reports on its activities to the Federal
Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and other
appropriate authorities.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
IMPLEMENTATION, CO-ORDINATION, MONITORING AND
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION STRATEGY
23.1 INTRODUCTION
Effective implementation of any policy depends almost entirely on the
successive processes and actions put in place for its implementation and
management. The processes include adequate planning, coordination of the
contributory efforts, monitoring the achievements of the process, evaluating
effectiveness of performance and the system put in place for sustainable review
of both plan and policy.
23.2 GOAL
The goal shall be to implement, coordinate, monitor and evaluate the
performance of the provisions of the National Urban Development Policy.
23.3 OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the above goal, the Government shall pursue the following
objectives:
(i) establish and implement appropriate performance evaluation standards;
and
(ii) carry out monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the policy.
23.4 STRATEGIES
In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies shall be
adopted:
(i) appoint an independent Committee on Co-ordination and Monitoring, to
monitor and evaluate the progress made towards, and problems
encountered, in achieving the goals and objectives of the National Policy
on Urban Development, at least every other year;
(ii) implement appropriate measures and actions as recommended by the
Committee for promoting sustainable urban and other human settlements
development and management in the country;
(iii) convene an annual National Urban Development Forum of stakeholders
to deliberate on the various topical issues of urban development; and
(iv) publish periodically the State of Nigerian Cities, Report and Good Urban
Governance Assessment of Nigerian Cities, as prominent tools for
advocacy and measurement of the performance of cities.
23.5 REVIEW OF POLICY
This policy shall be reviewed every five years with all necessary
mechanism for carrying out the review should be put in place. This
is to ensure that this policy instrument continues to be relevant and
serves as a useful tool and framework for promoting a sustainable,
integrated and coordinated approach for improving urban
development in Nigeria.
National Urban Development Policy – Adopted By FEC 20 June 2012.
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