Urban Planning Expert Proposes Practical Solutions to Lagos Urban Planning Challenges

 By Esther Joshua

Architect Gbolahan Owodunni Oki has called for a shift from identifying urban challenges to implementing practical solutions, with emphasis on rigorous development control and certification, transit-oriented planning and expansion of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

He also called for drainage clearing and wetland conservation, urban renewal and integrated regeneration, as well as stronger coordination among relevant government agencies.

Oki made the call while delivering a keynote presentation at a one-day hybrid international workshop organised by the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, Faculty of Architecture, University of Lagos (UNILAG), on September 30, 2026.

A former General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and former Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Urban Development, Oki, delivered a keynote titled “Building Inclusive Cities: From Policy to Practice — A Practical Perspective on Social Equity, Urban Governance and Development Control.”

The workshop, themed “Social Equity, Urban Governance and Inclusive Urban Design: From Policy to Practice in Lagos Metropolis,” focused on inclusivity, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation and effective governance in urban planning.

Landscape Architect Dapo Adesiyun, South-West Chairman of the Society of Landscape Architects of Nigeria also spoke on the quality and effectiveness of policies guiding development in the built environment, with particular emphasis on equity and inclusivity in implementation.

Other presentations covered international perspectives on inclusive landscape architecture and urban design, urban governance, professional practice and development control, and climate justice in urban planning. 

The presentations were delivered by international and local experts, including Architect Fitzgerald Utah, Chairman of the International Affairs Commission of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, Lagos, and Dr Obafemi Ibitoye, Head of the Department of Architecture at Caleb University, Imota, Lagos State. 

The workshop also featured an interactive panel session where resource persons and participants exchanged perspectives on the theme and discussed practical approaches to strengthening inclusivity, governance and professional practice in urban development.