Towards addressing observed deviation from physical planning, the Lagos State government has begun moves to review the Alimosho City Model Plan.

The new move is expected to bring the development plan in consonance with current trends and aspirations of the people, re-order any negative pattern observed during implementation, identify and regenerate blighted communities, and support informal sector businesses, as well as activities and analyse the spatial distribution of public facilities.

State official, who pleaded anonymity, told The Guardian that the review became necessary due to the expiration of the existing plan, which has lasted 10 years, rapid developments, the need to ensure that the area has an up- to-date plan for effective planning and the urgency to encourage increased submission of building plans for approval.

Three firms – Corporate Castles Limited in collaboration with Firstplus Planning Consultants and Tade Planning Services commissioned by the State’s Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development in 2022 are carrying out the review.

Alimosho is one of the highly populated areas in Nigeria with a population of over 3,082,900. The land mass has grown from 173.6 square kilometres in 2010 to 6,818,100 square kilometres in 2022, the project area covers Agbado/Oke-Odo, Igando-ikotun, Egbe-idinu, Mosan-Okunola, Ayobo-lpaja, Alimosho Local Council Development Areas, part of Iba LCDA In Ojo LGA (jagemo and ijeododo) and is expected to increase to 12,123,900 sq km by 2042. Areas such as Ifako-ijaiye, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi-solo, Amuwo-Odofin, Ojo and Ado Odo-Ota bound the project.

The urban design principle for Alimosho’s transformation is centred on efficient land use and zoning strategies, enhancing transportation and connectivity, security, creating sustainable and resilient infrastructure, provide functional city waste treatment/management centres, functional water plant, drainage channels, solid waste management, power supply, preserve cultural heritage and public spaces and fostering community engagement and social integration.

The ongoing review of the Alimosho Model City Plan (2010-2020) has identified 13 action areas to serve as strategic business and residential hubs, commercial, agricultural, transport interchange, local service centre and tourist activities in the axis. The areas include Amikanle, Meiran, Katangowa, Iyana-Ipaja, Ishefu, Egbeda, Isheri-Olofin, Igando, Ikotun, Igegun,Ijagemo and Ijedodo.

Some projects implemented / ongoing in the expired Alimosho model city plan include interconnectivity improvement projects such as Abaranje road; Isuti road; Akesan-Igando road, Lagos Homes in Igando and Egan, the ferry-jetty, Ijon (Ishefun), BRT corridor (Oshodi – Abule-Egba) to service internal routes in Egbeda, Ikotun, Ipaja, and Ayobo.

Speaking during the presentation of the draft-final report of the review of Alimosho Model City Plan to the ministry by Messrs Corporate Castles Ltd, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, said that the review of the Model City Plan, which commenced in 2022, was a statutory endeavour to produce a 20-year plan that would match present and future realities.

In the review process, he said that the consultants applied the right planning parameters to plan for the development of the area with proposals bordering on traffic and transportation, industrialisation, water and sanitation and tourism among others.

Olumide called for a more critical look at market designs that would accommodate the urban poor, as they deserve to exist and make a living. Part of the plan is the proposed action areas, which include Ipaja, Iyana-Ipaja, Igando, Amikanle, and Ikotun, among others.

Already, the government has called for input from residents in Alimosho and the general public in finalising the revised Alimosho Model City Plan document to allow for robust participation and ownership. Subsequently, a dedicated stakeholder engagement meeting is expected after the public review period to discuss the plan in more detail and address specific concerns from different groups within the community.

Lead consultant for the project, Makinde Ogunleye, stated that the review of the plan had been painstaking and participatory by involving various stakeholders, including Ministries and Agencies of the government.

An official of Corporate Castles Ltd, Dr David Olawale, noted that the review project started with stakeholders’ involvement two years ago and that various implementation strategies were adopted in deference to the peculiarities of the area.