Nigerian Town Planners Call for Integrated Planning and Affordable Housing at Urban October 2026

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 as part of efforts to address Nigeria's housing deficit.

The call formed part of activities marking Urban October 2026, during which the institute organised an advocacy Citywalk in Abuja to promote inclusive communities, adequate housing and sustainable urban development. The event, held on Saturday, began at the Old Parade Ground, Area 10, Garki, Abuja, and focused on the United Nations' World Habitat Day theme, "Adequate Housing for All."

Tpl. Gabriel Ameh, a fellow of the institute and its First Vice Chairman, said the Citywalk was designed to raise public awareness about sustainable development, the housing crisis and the need to protect the environment. "Adequate housing is not just where anyone is having shelter over their head, but a sustainable shelter where you can live comfortably. People under the bridge have shelter, but housing is where you have your comfort and can do other things," he said. He warned that housing delivery without proper planning could worsen urban challenges.

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. "We keep playing politics with issues of master plans, and this is something we need to imbibe and make part of us," he said, adding that governments at all levels should prioritise affordable housing for low-income earners and underserved communities.

Tpl. Lami Ayuba, immediate past chairman of the NITP in Abuja, called for a comprehensive housing strategy that integrates physical planning, reliable data, infrastructure and access to affordable mortgage facilities. She said low-income earners and the middle class struggle to access decent homes because of inconsistent housing policies and limited credit, and advocated establishing a Housing Secretariat in the FCT to coordinate housing needs and collect data for future demand projections.

Both planners stressed that closing Nigeria's housing gap would require stronger collaboration between government, the private sector and individuals, with planning treated as a core instrument of housing delivery rather than an afterthought.