In this exclusive feature for Real Estate Magazine by Win Realty, Dr. Moses Ogunleye, Managing Director of MOA Planners Limited and former President of the Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria, unveils the harsh reality of Nigeria’s urban planning deficiencies. With over three decades of professional experience and currently leading the Ibeju-Lekki Model City Plan in Lagos State, Ogunleye sheds light on how master planning, or the lack thereof, is shaping (and failing) the country’s urban future—particularly in strategic investment corridors like Ibeju-Lekki.

This insight comes at a time when global and domestic interest in real estate investments in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos, Abuja, and other rapidly expanding cities like Port Harcourt, Enugu, Ibadan, Owerri, Uyo, and Asaba, continues to surge.

A Nation Growing Blind: Only 30% of Nigerian Cities Have Development Plans

According to Dr. Ogunleye, fewer than 30% of Nigerian cities and towns currently operate with an approved development or master plan.

“If there’s no development plan, even economic development will be negatively affected. People can just come and do whatever they like,” he said.

Without a clear spatial blueprint, infrastructure provision becomes chaotic, land use unregulated, and real estate growth unsustainable—hindering local and foreign real estate investments in Nigeria.

Ibeju-Lekki: Africa’s New Investment Frontier

As the lead consultant for the Ibeju-Lekki Model City Plan, Ogunleye emphasized that the project is structured to position the area as the preferred investment destination in Africa.

The plan integrates strategic assets like:

• Lekki Free Trade Zone

• Dangote Refinery

• Lekki Deep Seaport

These are identified as anchor economic activities that will drive satellite growth clusters, including support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

“We refer to these as growth centres. Each is expected to activate development in its own catchment,” Ogunleye explained.

Tackling Indiscriminate Estate Development

Private developers have flooded Ibeju-Lekki with unregulated estate projects, many of which are built on land under acquisition or lacking proper documentation.

“It is true there are many private estate developers. Some of them did not consider our plan before starting,” he said.

The Model City Plan seeks to integrate some of these developments and classify others based on future land use, ensuring that no substantial investment is lost—though road realignments may require revalidation of some existing layouts.

A Word of Caution to New Investors

Ogunleye advised new real estate investors, particularly those eyeing real estate investments in Lagos, to wait a few more months before committing capital to Ibeju-Lekki.

“They should wait for the next three to four months before committing resources,” he advised, pending final approvals and stakeholder inputs into the city plan.

A Multi-Phased, Stakeholder-Driven Implementation

The Ibeju-Lekki Model City Plan is designed for execution in four key phases over a 20-year period, with early-stage “quick wins” projects identified for the first two years. Lagos State government agencies, the Federal Government, and the private sector are all central to implementation.

“We’ve identified about 24 state-level actors, including the Office of the Surveyor-General and the Ministry of Transport. Everyone has a role to play,” said Ogunleye.

The Role of PropTech and Innovation

In alignment with emerging proptech trends, the plan integrates technology hubs, utility centres, and high-security data facilities to attract and support tech-driven investments. Ogunleye highlighted the role of ICT in smart urban monitoring, disaster prevention, and remote collaboration.

This aligns with the increasing demand for proptech news and smart solutions in urban planning and real estate investments in Nigeria and globally.

Weak Planning Culture Nationwide

Ogunleye did not mince words about the weak planning and implementation culture across Nigerian states.

“Even cities with plans suffer from poor implementation. For example, Ibadan’s master plan was developed in 2019 with World Bank support. Six years into it, there’s little progress,” he said.

He argued that planning must precede development, and political will must match professional recommendations. Currently, cities like Abuja, Lagos, Owerri, and Port Harcourt face uncoordinated growth due to underfunded and under-prioritized planning frameworks.

Budgeting & Policy Gaps in Urban Planning

A critical concern raised by Ogunleye was the low budget allocation to physical planning across the country.

“Between 2019 and 2023, Lagos—considered the best-performing state—allocated between 1.3% and 3.5% of its budget to physical planning. That’s far too low,” he noted.

He called for greater fiscal commitment to master planning efforts, particularly as real estate investments in Nigeria gain global attention alongside those in Dubai, the USA, the UK, and Canada.

Approval Bottlenecks and High Costs

Ogunleye also acknowledged the public’s frustration with the high cost and delays in obtaining building plan approvals.

“The process should be faster and less cumbersome. Planning authorities need to create a more efficient and accessible permit system,” he added.

This has significant implications for investors across real estate investments in Abuja, Ibadan, and Enugu, where regulatory hurdles often delay projects.

Key Takeaways

• Less than 30% of Nigerian cities have a functional development plan, leading to uncoordinated growth.

• The Ibeju-Lekki Model City Plan is structured to become Africa’s premier investment hub, anchored by major industrial and trade infrastructure.

• Developers are advised to pause investments in Ibeju-Lekki until plan ratification is finalized.

• The plan adopts a multi-stakeholder phased approach, with key roles for government agencies and private sector players.

• ICT and proptech integration are central to the city’s planning strategy.

• Nigeria’s planning culture needs reform, supported by higher budget allocations and streamlined permit systems.

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