Re-defining Sustainable Urban Growth Patterns and Strategies in Nigerian Cities? Stake Holders Views

Nigerian cities’ governance style has developed with emphasis on spatial fix in the area of urban planning, urban growth and extensions, densification, improved green areas and forest conservation schemes (eco-friendliness) and equity in urban space. This has encouraged individual access to land legally at various locations depending on financial ability but with equal facilities. Nigerian cities administrators recently gathered together in Caleb University Imota, Lagos in Nigeria on the 7th May, 2014 to among other needs, re-appraise the growing needs for a new urban agenda for African and indeed Nigerian cities. The forum was facilitated by the launch of the UN-Habitat global cities report on the state of World cities hosted by the Caleb University, Lagos and the UN-Habitat and funded by the Lafarge Cement African Plc (a global giant in cement manufacturing industry). A number of far reaching resolutions were reached at the forum. This proposed networking event is a high-level follow up meeting at the Habitat III to among other things seek international opinion on the strategies adopted by Nigerian cities and learn from other global practices the current patterns of city governance with a hope of blending and improving on the current strategies. This forum brings together some selected foremost cities in Nigeria to share notes with similar international communities on the developmental plans and goals of achieving this UN-Habitat mandate on urban equity. The network forum will involve discourse amongst three other international cities from Guarulhos, Brazil, Medellin, and Singapore to share similar experiences on managing rapid urbanization, poverty and equity related issues. It will also share the challenges as well as the strategies embarked in resolving them.