Nigerian Urban Planners Association

Nigerian Urban Planners Association
Name	Nigerian Urban Planners Association
Formation	1970s
Headquarters	Lagos
Region served	Nigeria
Membership	urban planners, town planners, regional planners
Leader title	President

Nigerian Urban Planners Association is a professional association representing practitioners in urban and regional planning across Nigeria. It functions as a network linking planners from Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, and Kaduna with academic institutions such as the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University, and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The association engages with international bodies including the Commonwealth Association of Planners, the International Society of City and Regional Planners, UN-Habitat, and the World Bank on urban policy and development collaborations.

History

The association traces its origins to postcolonial planning debates that involved figures associated with the Colonial Office era and institutions like the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and University of Ibadan, evolving through interactions with the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners and professional responses to events such as the Nigerian Civil War and the oil-driven urbanization of the Niger Delta. Early milestones include engagement with federal initiatives under the Federal Capital Development Authority during the Abuja development and consultations linked to the Third National Development Plan and the Structural Adjustment Programme (Nigeria), later aligning with regional frameworks exemplified by the Economic Community of West African States urban strategies and protocols of the African Union.

Organization and Membership

The association’s governance mirrors models from organizations like the Royal Town Planning Institute, the American Planning Association, and the International Federation of Surveyors, with elected executives, regional chapters in states such as Lagos State, Rivers State, Kano State, and liaison roles with state ministries exemplified by the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (Nigeria). Membership categories reflect professional tiers similar to the Nigerian Institute of Architects and academic ties to departments at Ahmadu Bello University, Obafemi Awolowo University, and the University of Jos. The association coordinates credential recognition dialogues with bodies like the Nigerian Council of Registered Planners and participates in multilateral forums including the United Nations Human Settlements Programme networks.

Objectives and Activities

Primary objectives include influencing land use policy, promoting sustainable urban design, enhancing disaster-resilient infrastructure, and advising on transportation systems in metropolises such as Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. Activities span advisory inputs to projects like the Lekki Free Trade Zone planning consultations, collaborative research with the Nigerian Institute for Urban and Regional Planning, and policy briefs directed at agencies like the Federal Capital Territory Administration and the Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project. The association also engages with international programs such as the Global Covenant of Mayors and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change regarding urban resilience.

Professional Standards and Accreditation

The association advocates for professional standards paralleling qualification frameworks used by the Royal Town Planning Institute and accreditation practices comparable to the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria. It liaises with tertiary programs in faculties like the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Lagos and accreditation panels that include members from the National Universities Commission and the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners. Standards address ethical codes, continuing professional development obligations, and alignment with regulatory statutes including provisions influenced by the Town and Country Planning Act (various jurisdictions) and national planning ordinances historically shaped by colonial-era laws.

Major Projects and Contributions

Contributions include technical input into masterplans for new towns and metropolitan expansions influenced by projects such as the Abuja Master Plan, redevelopment schemes in Onitsha, and port-city interface studies in Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port. The association has contributed to housing policy dialogues that reference initiatives like the National Housing Policy (Nigeria) and urban renewal programs comparable to the Inner City Renewal projects seen in other capitals. It has partnered with donors and financiers such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the United Nations Development Programme on slum upgrading, transport corridor planning, and flood mitigation interventions.

Conferences, Training, and Publications

The association convenes national conferences drawing participants from institutions including the University of Benin, Covenant University, Bayero University Kano, and professional bodies such as the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers and the Nigeria Society of Engineers. Training programs feature collaborations with international schools such as the London School of Economics, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and regional centers like the African Planning School. Publications encompass policy papers, technical reports, and proceedings comparable to journals like the Journal of Planning Education and Research and manuals used by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.

Challenges and Advocacy

The association advocates on issues including informal settlement regularization, coordination with agencies like the National Emergency Management Agency, public transport reform involving entities such as Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, and environmental management in the Niger Delta Development Commission area. Challenges it addresses mirror those faced by urban planners globally: rapid urbanization in cities like Kano and Maiduguri, infrastructural deficits highlighted by events tied to the 2012 floodings in Nigeria, climate risks noted in Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessments, and policy fragmentation between federal, state, and local authorities exemplified by conflicts over land administration with bodies like the Land Use Allocation Committee.

Category:Professional associations based in Nigeria Category:Urban planning organizations