The Traffic

FEC Approves Overhaul of National Urban Development Policy

By Achimi muktar 

In what experts are calling a game-changer for Nigeria’s rapidly growing cities, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a boldly revised National Urban Development Policy (NUDP)—a sweeping framework designed to guide how Nigeria plans, builds, and manages its urban spaces for the next decade.

This latest update, developed by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in collaboration with UN-Habitat and other stakeholders, replaces the decade-old 2012 edition and introduces a “business unusual” approach to tackle the nation’s urban crises head-on.

With Nigeria’s urban population expected to soar beyond 70% by 2050, the country faces a ticking time bomb of overcrowding, poor housing, infrastructure strain, and climate vulnerabilities. The new policy aims to address these issues by shifting away from reactive and fragmented planning to proactive, inclusive, and sustainable urban strategies.

“The NUDP is a critical milestone in Nigeria’s urban journey,” said Ahmed Dangiwa, Minister of Housing and Urban Development.

“It gives us a clear roadmap to plan and build cities that are productive, liveable, inclusive, and climate-resilient. With this policy, we can harness the full potential of our urban spaces to drive national development and uplift the quality of life for all Nigerians.”

A key focus of the revised policy is the strengthening of urban governance. It calls for the creation of metropolitan commissions and regional planning bodies that can better manage mega-urban regions and conurbations—many of which span multiple administrative boundaries.

To ensure these bold plans don’t remain on paper, the NUDP includes a clear implementation roadmap. This outlines the roles of federal, state, and local governments and stresses the need for capacity building, public awareness, and strong private-public partnerships.

In a complementary move, the Ministry is also advancing a National Policy on Rural Settlements Planning and Development to address urbanization pressures at their source. This policy aims to stem rural-to-urban migration by filling development gaps in rural communities.

Another initiative underway is the National Physical Planning Standards, currently undergoing widespread stakeholder consultations to ensure uniformity in development practices nationwide.

The sweeping policy reforms are part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places a strong emphasis not only on housing but on holistic urban transformation.

“Our cities are the engines of our economy and the heart of our future. If we get urban development right, we get Nigeria’s future right,” said a senior official at the Ministry.

If fully implemented, the NUDP could revolutionize the way Nigerians live, work, and move through their cities—offering a future of well-planned neighborhoods, efficient transport, green spaces, and inclusive urban economies.