Ogun risks becoming Lagos’ dump site if unplanned – Varsity don warns

A Professor of Estate Management at the University of Lagos has issued a dire warning that Ogun State may become a dumping ground and residential area for Lagos if proper planning is not implemented. Speaking at the 40th anniversary of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) in Ogun State, Prof. Timothy Gbenga Nubi emphasized that proximity to the commercial capital alone does not guarantee prosperity; it requires careful planning.

Nubi highlighted that Ogun's strategic location within the Lagos metropolitan region has been underutilized due to a failure to convert its geographical advantages into a well-planned metropolitan setting. Rapid urbanization along the Lagos-Ogun border has created significant planning challenges, particularly along the Isheri-Ibafo-Mowe-Sagamu Interchange corridor.

Despite recognizing the need to respond to Lagos' expansion, the state's plans, including the Ogun State Regional Development Plan 2005-2025 and the Development Pressure Area framework, have not been effectively translated into action. Nubi advocated for a comprehensive metropolitan development strategy focusing on a hierarchy of cities, growth centers, transport corridors, affordable housing, and the preservation of ecological and agricultural areas.

He called for updated master plans in key urban centers, a state-wide spatial development framework, and prioritized actions such as renewed spatial planning, metropolitan Lagos-Ogun coordination, strategic growth centers, integrated transport and land use, affordable housing, upgrading informal settlements, environmental resilience, digital planning, and strengthened implementation institutions.

The Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, echoed these concerns, warning that current development could become tomorrow's problem if not properly managed. She emphasized the critical role of town planners in creating livable communities and assured that the state's administration was addressing the issues raised at the event, including those related to the Sango-Ota road.

The National President of NITP, Tpl Chime Ogbonna, highlighted the importance of Ogun as Nigeria's industrial capital and the need for planners to reimagine the profession in the face of rapid urbanization, climate change, and the housing crisis. The state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tpl Olatunji Odunlami, reported on the recent employment of 140 town planners and the establishment of new planning offices, as well as the creation of the Ogun State Building Production Management Authority.