NITP Warns Kogi Against Unplanned Urban Development

By Odimayo Olattunde, Kogi

The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Kogi State Chapter, has urged the state government to prioritize effective physical planning as a strategic foundation for sustainable development, economic growth and improved living conditions.

The institute said proper physical planning was essential to building organized, resilient and economically viable communities, warning that uncontrolled urban expansion could undermine development efforts and expose residents to environmental and infrastructural challenges.

The Chairman of NITP in Kogi State, Tpl. Sani Daniel, FNITP, made the call in Lokoja during activities marking the 2026 World Town Planning Day, celebrated annually on November 8, with the theme, “Great Communities Are Built on Planning.”

Daniel maintained that well-developed communities do not emerge by chance but are products of deliberate planning, responsible leadership, strong institutions and collective commitment.

He explained that physical planning extends beyond the construction of roads and buildings to include adequate housing, healthcare facilities, schools, transportation networks, drainage systems, recreational facilities and environmental protection.

Expressing concern over the increasing rate of uncoordinated physical development in Kogi State, the NITP chairman identified Lokoja, Anyigba, Okene, Kabba, Ankpa, Ajaokuta and Obajana as areas requiring greater attention to effective development planning.

He observed that several settlements across the state lacked updated and functional master plans to guide their expansion, resulting in infrastructure deficits, indiscriminate development, environmental degradation and encroachment on road reservations.

Daniel therefore called on the Kogi State Government to prioritize the preparation and review of master plans for Lokoja and other rapidly expanding urban centres to ensure orderly growth and sustainable development.

He stressed that planning must precede development, noting that the cost of preparing and implementing physical development plans was considerably lower than the financial and environmental costs of correcting the consequences of unplanned urbanisation.

The institute also advocated stronger planning institutions, effective enforcement of development control regulations, adequate funding and the adoption of modern technologies, particularly Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to enhance urban management and decision-making.

On environmental sustainability, Daniel urged the government and residents to protect floodplains, waterways, drainage corridors, green spaces and other environmentally sensitive areas from indiscriminate development.

He further emphasised the importance of integrating industrial expansion and population growth into infrastructure planning, particularly in emerging industrial centres such as Obajana and Ajaokuta.

According to him, effective physical planning would help the state anticipate future development needs, prevent avoidable environmental challenges and ensure that infrastructure keeps pace with population growth and economic activities.

While commending the Kogi State Government for its efforts to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for physical planning and development management, the NITP chairman called for sustained political commitment to the implementation of relevant policies.

He also urged property owners, private developers, traditional institutions and community leaders to embrace orderly development by complying with approved physical development plans and relevant planning regulations.

Daniel reaffirmed the commitment of the NITP Kogi State Chapter to collaborating with the government, development partners and other stakeholders to advance sustainable urban and rural development across the state.

He maintained that great communities were not built by chance but through vision, deliberate planning, effective implementation and collective responsibility.

The chairman called on all stakeholders to embrace physical planning as a shared responsibility towards building a prosperous, inclusive, orderly and environmentally sustainable Kogi State.