The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has renewed its commitment to strengthening professional standards, expanding membership and promoting sustainable urban development to address Nigeria’s growing urbanisation challenges.

Speaking at the institute’s Founders’ Day Symposium in Kaduna, NITP President, Dr Ogbonna Chime, described the Institute’s 60-year journey as one of resilience, growth and remarkable professional accomplishments.

Chime traced the origins of the Institute to April 1966, when nine pioneering town planners led by Pa S.O. Tokun founded the professional body in Ibadan. He recalled that the Institute’s formal establishment was confirmed on September 5, 1966, at the Lagos Executive Development Board, where a Protem Executive Council was inaugurated to oversee its affairs, while its first National President, Chief M.O. Onafowokan, emerged during the maiden National Conference and Annual General Meeting held in Lagos in September 1968.

According to him, the institute’s founders overcame enormous challenges, including the uncertainty preceding the Nigerian Civil War, to establish what has become the country’s foremost professional body for town planners. “The chronology of these events reminds us of the sacrifices, dedication and risks undertaken by our founding fathers to bring the Institute to where it is today,” he said.

Chime urged members to preserve the founders’ legacy by remaining committed to advancing the planning profession. He said the institute has expanded from operating in 12 states in 1968 to establishing chapters in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, while membership has grown to 7,411 across various categories.

According to him, collaboration with the Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC) has strengthened professional regulation, while affiliations with organisations such as the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) have enhanced the Institute’s international profile.

He added that professional platforms, including the Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON), Young Planners Forum (YPF), Association of Women Town Planners of Nigeria (AWTPN), Urban and Regional Planning Students Association of Nigeria (URPSAN) and the National Association of Town Planning Educators (NATPED), have promoted cohesion, capacity building and gender inclusion within the profession.

Chime also noted that town planners have continued to make significant contributions in public service, academia and the private sector. Expressing optimism about the future of the profession, he urged members to remain united in advancing sustainable, resilient and inclusive cities across Nigeria.

Chairman of the NITP Kaduna State Chapter, Dr Yakubu Bununu, said rapid urbanisation, population growth, climate change, technological transformation and rising demand for infrastructure require planners to embrace innovative, inclusive and technology-driven planning approaches.

He stressed that the future of the profession should be anchored on sustainable urban development, effective land management, smart city initiatives, environmental stewardship and greater community participation.

“As professionals, we must continue to advocate for the preparation and implementation of development plans, strengthen planning institutions and promote policies that support orderly, safe and economically vibrant human settlements,” he said.

Bununu also advocated wider adoption of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, artificial intelligence and other digital planning tools to improve planning decisions and public service delivery, while calling for greater investment in developing the next generation of planning professionals.

Chairman of the Northern Town Planners’ Forum, Sajoh Moda, said the role of town planners has never been more critical as Nigeria grapples with rapid urbanisation, environmental pressures and the need for more inclusive and resilient cities.

He described planners as custodians of sustainable development and noted that, over the past six decades, NITP has produced professionals who have prepared master plans, regional development strategies, environmental management initiatives and public policies that have shaped Nigeria’s development.

Moda, however, expressed concern that many Nigerian cities are expanding faster than they are being planned, resulting in the proliferation of informal settlements, worsening traffic congestion, inadequate infrastructure, environmental degradation and shrinking public spaces.

He argued that these challenges are symptoms of inadequate planning, weak implementation of development plans and the failure to place spatial planning at the centre of national development.

“These realities remind us that while cities may grow naturally, sustainable cities are deliberately planned,” he said, urging governments to strengthen planning institutions and prioritise integrated urban development.

Earlier, Chairman of the NITP 60th Anniversary Committee, Dr Moses Ogunleye, said the symposium, themed “A View of the Future of Town Planning,” was organised to provide a platform for professionals to examine emerging trends in the planning profession and Nigeria’s evolving development landscape.

He said the forum would enable practitioners from government, private practice and academia to exchange ideas on the future of the profession and generate practical recommendations for strengthening sustainable urban and regional development across the country.