Scholars urge Nigeria to protect informal markets, settlements

International scholars are urging Nigeria and other African countries to reconsider their approach to informal markets and settlements, advocating for their integration into urban planning as foundational elements for resilient and sustainable cities. This plea was articulated at the second edition of the Southern Urbanism Co-Net Conference, themed “Negotiating Rural-Urban Futures,” held at the University of Lagos.

“

The conference is about how culture, heritage and people-based knowledge can shape our cities instead of always looking for ideas from elsewhere.

The three-day conference brought together architects, urban planners, and researchers from various countries, including Nigeria, Japan, Mali, France, China, Tanzania, and Latin America. Speakers emphasized the importance of inclusively incorporating traditional markets, informal settlements, and indigenous architecture as valuable assets. They warned that excluding residents from these areas often leads to protracted social and economic problems.

Dr. Mokolade Johnson, the conference organizer and a lecturer in architecture at UNILAG, described the event as a collaborative effort aimed at promoting indigenous knowledge in urban development. "The conference is about how culture, heritage and people-based knowledge can shape our cities instead of always looking for ideas from elsewhere," Johnson stated.

“

The policy is not here to destroy people’s settlements. It is to see how those settlements can become livable environments.

Professor Oussouby Sacko, Executive Director at Tokyo Metropolitan Public University Corporation, Japan, advised African governments to move beyond viewing informal settlements as mere areas for destruction. Instead, he proposed finding ways to make them safer and more livable. Sacko, a Malian-born architecture professor, noted that African urban infrastructure and housing possess a unique vocabulary. "The policy is not here to destroy people’s settlements. It is to see how those settlements can become livable environments," he asserted.

“

Japan shows that minimal space can provide very high-quality services. We can learn from that while keeping our own identity.

Drawing parallels with Japan's efficient use of limited space, Sacko suggested that African cities could adopt similar strategies while preserving their local identity. "Japan shows that minimal space can provide very high-quality services. We can learn from that while keeping our own identity," he added. Architect and urban designer Dr. Steven Ajadi argued that informality is a defining characteristic of African cities, not a weakness to be eradicated. "Informality is the identity of the African urban space. It is not necessarily a bad thing or a deficit. It is something to be proud of because it has immensely contributed to the development of African cities," Ajadi concluded.

“

Informality is the identity of the African urban space. It is not necessarily a bad thing or a deficit. It is something to be proud of because it has immensely contributed to the development of African cities.