General News
Urban October 2026: Town Planners Seek Stronger Housing Policies, Environmental Protection
The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter, has called for integrated urban planning, affordable housing policies and stronger environmental protection to address the housing deficit in the country.
The FCT First Vice Chairman of the institute, Mr Gabriel Ameh, made the call during the FCT Council’s advocacy Citywalk in Abuja to commemorate Urban October 2026, with the theme, “Adequate Housing for All.” He said adequate housing went beyond having a roof over one’s head to include comfort, functionality and a healthy environment.
“This is not just an FCT event.
This is a global event from UN-Habitat, where we are supposed to be creating awareness on the Sustainable Development Goals.”
“People under the bridge have shelter, but housing is where you have your comfort and can do other things,” he said.
Mr Ameh maintained that affordable and sustainable housing could not be achieved without effective urban planning, noting that green spaces, environmental quality and building functionality were essential components of decent housing.
While urging federal, state and local governments, private developers and individuals to work together to expand access to affordable homes, Mr Ameh identified the failure to domesticate the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Law across all states and the politicisation of master plans as major setbacks to urban development.
The immediate past chairman of the NITP in Abuja, Lami Ayuba, called for a coordinated housing policy that integrates physical planning, infrastructure and access to affordable mortgage facilities.
She said low-income earners and middle-class Nigerians faced difficulties accessing decent homes due to inconsistent policies, limited credit and mortgage arrangements that did not adequately reflect their income levels.
Lami Ayuba also advocated the establishment of a Housing Secretariat in the FCT to coordinate housing data, assess demand and plan for population growth.
“Government should make planning part of the major key strategies and policies for housing delivery. It is not just the Ministry of Housing, and it is not just to say we are going to build 1,000 houses.”
Meanwhile, Niina Rinne, Chief Technical Adviser and Head of the UN-Habitat Nigeria Country Office, urged urban planners to prioritise nature in development decisions to prevent flooding and protect green spaces.
She called for protected areas to be incorporated into development plans and natural spaces to be connected across urban environments.
Other members of the Institute of Town Planners, in their separate remarks, maintained that addressing Nigeria’s housing crisis required effective implementation of planning laws, reliable housing data, affordable financing and collaboration among governments, developers and communities.