The Federal Executive Council has endorsed the updated National Urban Development Policy in a significant step targeted at reshaping Nigeria’s urban landscape and enhancing its dedication to sustainable development.
Described as a “critical milestone” by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, the policy provides a comprehensive framework to guide urban planning, development, and governance across Nigeria for the next decade. It replaces the 2012 edition and was developed by the Federal Ministry in collaboration with UN-Habitat and other key stakeholders.
With regard to the permission, Dangiwa said: “A significant turning point in Nigeria’s urban development is the NUDP. It gives us a clear road map for designing and creating inclusive, productive, livable, and climate-resilient cities. We are better equipped to use our urban areas’ full potential to propel national development and improve everyone’s quality of life in Nigeria thanks to this policy.”
The revised NUDP is consistent with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, as well as Nigeria’s obligations under international development frameworks such as the SDGs, the New Urban Agenda, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
With more than 70% of Nigeria’s population expected to live in cities by 2050, the strategy proposes a “business unusual” approach that departs from fragmented, reactive planning.
Instead, it promotes inclusive and forward-thinking initiatives based on strong institutions, smart leadership, and public involvement.
Key Focus Areas of the Policy includes Urban Governance:
The NUDP calls for the establishment of metropolitan commissions and regional planning bodies to oversee Nigeria’s fast-growing urban regions, especially those that cut across state boundaries. This is intended to improve coordination and decentralise decision-making.
Social Inclusion:
With a pro-poor and pro-vulnerable design philosophy, the policy prioritises the needs of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and informal workers, while promoting equitable access to housing, infrastructure, and public services.
Climate Resilience:
To address Nigeria’s increasing vulnerability to climate risks such as flooding, desertification, and extreme weather, the policy promotes green infrastructure, renewable energy, and compact city models such as the “15-minute city”, where daily essentials are accessible within short walking distances.
Economic Transformation: Positioning cities as engines of economic growth, the NUDP encourages mixed-use development, efficient land use, and transport integration, while also promoting municipal finance reforms to help cities raise local revenues and reduce dependence on federal allocations.
Technology and Innovation: The policy supports the adoption of digital tools like Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and LIDAR mapping to enhance urban data systems, evidence-based planning, and service delivery.
For successful execution, the NUDP specifies unique roles for national, regional, and municipal authorities. It also emphasizes extensive development of skills, raising public consciousness, and collaborating with businesses, educational institutions, and community organizations, supported by robust oversight and assessment systems.
Complementary Initiatives by the Ministry
In tandem with the NUDP, the Ministry is advancing other major initiatives:
The development of National Physical Planning Standards, currently undergoing stakeholder review;
The formulation of a National Policy on Rural Settlements Planning and Development, which aims to address rural gaps and reduce urban migration;
Ongoing regional development plans being designed across Nigeria.
These initiatives reflect the Ministry’s broader alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda, which goes beyond housing delivery to prioritise integrated and sustainable urban transformation.
To support nationwide implementation, the Ministry will launch sensitisation campaigns and capacity-building programmes in the coming weeks.