Constraints to Implementation of Urban Planning in Nigeria: The Yenagoa Capital City, Planning Process in Perspective


Authors : Tano Dumoyei Agusomu; Peremoboere Egbe

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 2 - February


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/ytsyt346

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/mwteybxz

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26feb269

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.


Abstract : For experts and professionals into urban planning, city planning is a difficult undertaking. The challenges that result from it do not stem from a lack of expertise. Rather, there are limitations that work against traditional urban planning and they are primarily caused by cultural, social, economic, and political constraints. This paper examines the limitations of urban planning in the Yenagoa Capital City Area, Bayelsa State. The study used longitudinal and descriptive research designs, which enabled uninterrupted observation of phenomena. The questionnaire instrument was used to collect data while working with this design. A chi-square analysis was also performed on the questionnaire instrument, which was dependent on the research questions. The study finds, among other things, that the involvement of the public in the Yenagoa Capital City planning process is appallingly low; and planning authorities in the Yenagoa Capital City Area are limited by obstacles that are frequently disregarded, such as strong community attachment to land, emotional attachment to game reserve areas, politicisation of governance in built infrastructure, etc., to regulations as contained in the master plan of the city. The study concludes that for the Yenagoa Capital City blueprint to be fully implemented, the autonomy of planning authorities and pertinent laws must be strengthened. Among other things, the paper suggests encouraging public participation in the planning process and avoidance of needless politicisation of the Yenagoa Capital City planning process.

Keywords : Area, Bayelsa State, Capital City, Constraints, Planning, Yenagoa.

References :

  1. Afrane, S (2006). Urban planning and public health in Ghana’ Daily Graphic, February 13 and 15, pp.7&17.
  2. Agbola, T (2004). Readings in urban and regional planning. Foludex Press.
  3. Alhamoudi, A. M. & Nahrin, K. (2025). Rethinking urban transformation for environmental sustainability: evidence from Dhaka, a densely developed megacity. International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, 1–21.
  4. Amaefuna, R., Gobo, A. E., Ayotamuno, A., & Iyama, W. (2024). Environmental impact of urbanisation on land use compatibility and environmental quality in Port- Harcourt, Rivers State. International Journal of Agriculture Environment and Bioresearch, 09(05), 10-25.
  5. Bayelsa State Government (2004). Yenagoa Master Plan 2004. AS&P–Harcourt.
  6. Bayelsa State Government (2007). The Yenagoa City Development Strategy 2007. AS&P–Albert Speer & Partner.
  7. Barlowe, R. (1998). Land resource Economics: The economics of real estate. Prentice-Hall.
  8. Bartone, C, Bernstein, J, Leitmann, J. & Eigen, J. (1994). Toward environmental strategies for cities: Policy considerations for urban environmental management in developing countries. The World Bank.
  9. Cities Alliance (2007). Liveable cities: The benefits of urban environmental planning. Cities Alliance.
  10. Hameed, R. & Nadeem, O. (2008). Challenges of implementing urban master plans: The Lahrore experience. International Journal of Social, Behavioural, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering, 2(12), 1297-1304.
  11. Healey, P. (2007). Urban complexity and spatial strategies: Towards a relational planning for our times. Routledge.
  12. Jiriko, K. (2008). Urban master plan paradigm in Nigeria: What future? MBA Prints + Graphics.
  13. Keles, R. (2012). The quality of life and the environment. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 35, 23–32.
  14. Nadin, V. (2006). The role and scope of spatial planning; literature review—spatial plans in practice: Supporting the reform of spatial planning. https://research.tudelft.nl/en/publications/the-role-and-scope-of-spatial-planning-literature-review-spatial-/.
  15. Nuissl, H. & Siedentop, S. (2021). Urbanisation and land use change. In T. Weith., T. Barkmann, N. Gaasch, S. Rogga, C. Strauß and J. Zscheischler (eds.), Sustainable land management in a European context: A co-design approach (pp. 75-99). Springer Nature.
  16. Ogunbode, T. O., Oyebamiji, V. O., Sanni, D. O., Akinwale, E. O. & Akinluyi, F. O. (2025). Environmental impacts of urban growth and land use changes in tropical cities. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 6, 1-11.
  17. Oladunjoye, K. G. K. (2016). Roles of urban open spaces to environmental safety in Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Sciences and Resources Management, 8(1), 78-91.
  18. Othengrafen, F. & Reimer, M. (2013). The embeddedness of planning in cultural contexts: Theoretical foundations for the analysis of dynamic planning cultures. Environment and Planning A, 45(6), 1269-1284.
  19. Othengraphen, F. (2012). Uncovering the unconscious dimensions of planning: using culture as a tool to analyse spatial planning practices. Ashgate Publishing Ltd.
  20. Oyesiku, O. K. (2004). Town and country planning law and administration in Nigeria. In T. Agbola (ed.), Readings in urban and regional planning (pp. 257-269). Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
  21. Reimer, M. (2013). Planning cultures in transition: Sustainability management and institutional change in spatial planning. Sustainability 5, 4653-4673.
  22. Rongwiriyaphanich, S. (2014). Understanding culture in territorial management and its implications for spatial planning: The case of floodplain management in urbanised delta regions in Netherlands and Thailand. Architecture and the Built Environment.
  23. Sanyal, B. (2005). Comparative planning cultures. Routledge.
  24. Sopper, K. (2014). Governance and culture: A new approach to understanding structures of collaboration. European Spatial Research and Policy, 21(1), 53-64.
  25. UN-HABITAT (1996). An urbanising world: Global report on human settlements. Oxford University Press.
  26. UN-HABITAT (2010/2011). Urban trends: Urban sprawl now a global problem—State of the world’s cities. Bridging the Urban Divide.
  27. Wapwera, S. D, Mallo, D. M. & Jiriko, G. J. (2015). Institutional framework and constraints in the urban and regional planning system in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria. Journal of Geography and Regional Planning, 8(10), 244-260.
  28. Williams, S. W. (1997). The Brown agenda: Urban environmental problems and policies in the developing world. Geography, 82(1), 17-26.

For experts and professionals into urban planning, city planning is a difficult undertaking. The challenges that result from it do not stem from a lack of expertise. Rather, there are limitations that work against traditional urban planning and they are primarily caused by cultural, social, economic, and political constraints. This paper examines the limitations of urban planning in the Yenagoa Capital City Area, Bayelsa State. The study used longitudinal and descriptive research designs, which enabled uninterrupted observation of phenomena. The questionnaire instrument was used to collect data while working with this design. A chi-square analysis was also performed on the questionnaire instrument, which was dependent on the research questions. The study finds, among other things, that the involvement of the public in the Yenagoa Capital City planning process is appallingly low; and planning authorities in the Yenagoa Capital City Area are limited by obstacles that are frequently disregarded, such as strong community attachment to land, emotional attachment to game reserve areas, politicisation of governance in built infrastructure, etc., to regulations as contained in the master plan of the city. The study concludes that for the Yenagoa Capital City blueprint to be fully implemented, the autonomy of planning authorities and pertinent laws must be strengthened. Among other things, the paper suggests encouraging public participation in the planning process and avoidance of needless politicisation of the Yenagoa Capital City planning process.

Keywords : Area, Bayelsa State, Capital City, Constraints, Planning, Yenagoa.

Paper Submission Last Date
31 - March - 2026

SUBMIT YOUR PAPER CALL FOR PAPERS
Video Explanation for Published paper

Never miss an update from Papermashup

Get notified about the latest tutorials and downloads.

Subscribe by Email

Get alerts directly into your inbox after each post and stay updated.
Subscribe
OR

Subscribe by RSS

Add our RSS to your feedreader to get regular updates from us.
Subscribe