By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has applauded the South Western states for embracing a comprehensive regional approach to physical planning, describing the initiative as a major step towards coordinated development and sustainable urban growth.

The commendation followed the Inaugural South West Regional Meeting on Physical Planning and Urban Development held in Lagos, where stakeholders converged to chart a unified development path for the zone.

In a statement issued by the Institute’s Public Relations Secretary, Dr. Chiahemba Nor, the National President of NITP, Dr. Ogbonna Chime, described the initiative as “a laudable approach to implementing the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Law, Cap 138, 2004 at the regional level.”

Chime expressed optimism that the proposed regional masterplan would transform the South West into “a functional unit in agriculture, industrial and commercial development,” urging other geopolitical zones to replicate the model.

“This will surely change our planning orientation as a country,” he stated.

The meeting, themed “Forging Regional Integration Through Coordinated Physical Planning, Urban Development and Sustainable Land Governance,” drew commissioners, development partners and professionals from across the region.

Participants emphasized the need for stronger collaboration to tackle mounting urban challenges and unlock shared economic potential.

Key discussions centred on cross-border land use management, particularly between Lagos and neighbouring states, enhanced waste management systems, and the expansion of rail and multimodal transport networks.

Stakeholders also stressed the importance of aligning industrial growth with regional logistics, while optimising Lagos’ strategic role in food storage and distribution to support the wider South West.

According to the statement, the meeting built on recommendations from the 2024 Lagos Physical Planning Summit, which identified regional integration as critical to building a sustainable and interconnected megacity.

Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, underscored the need for a unified approach.

“When you talk of planning, we cannot run in isolation. We cannot be talking of only Lagos when Ogun is with us; we cannot be talking of only Oyo when Ogun is bordering them. The plan has to be looked at holistically in terms of regional integration of all the South West states,” he said.

Echoing similar sentiments, his Ogun State counterpart, Olatunji Odunlami, stressed the centrality of coordinated planning.

“We cannot develop anywhere without a coherent plan. If we have an integrated plan in the South West region, we are better able to determine how we grow. So we are just trying to return to where we were before, when we worked together and achieved so much,” he noted.

On his part, Ondo State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Sunday Olajide, highlighted the region’s shared strengths and the need for collective action.

“We want to build on our areas of competence so that we can work together and develop together. We are known for many firsts, and now there is a realisation that collaboration will bring out the best in us,” he said.

Also speaking, Oyo State Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Physical Planning, William Akin-Funmilayo, pointed to the economic benefits of integration, particularly in urban transformation

“This collaboration, integration and synergy within the South West states will be of great advantage to our geometric Urban Development in Oyo State, ” he said.

The statement observed that the meeting ended with a shared resolve among stakeholders to deepen regional cooperation, harmonise policies, and drive sustainable development through coordinated planning across the South West.