1.

0 INTRODUCTION 

Planning is a multidisciplinary profession. As such, the roles of town planners are broad, based
on the nature of the discipline. To be able to perform the role and exercise the responsibilities,
the planner needs professional knowledge of many fields as well as a variety of skills. A town
planner is someone who possesses any of the following academic qualifications:

i. A degree in urban and regional planning or town planning from any institution
recognized by the Nigeria Institute of Town Planning (NITP);
ii. A professional diploma in urban and regional planning or town planning from any
institution recognized by the NITP;
iii. A pass in the final examination of the NITP; and
iv. In addition, he or she must possess two years of post-qualification supervised relevant
experience.

However, academic qualifications alone do not make a professional town planner. An individual
must have professional qualifications that are registrable with the NITP and TOPREC, as this
will give him the recognition necessary for becoming a professional through membership in the
institute. Hence, the institute has a duty to monitor from time to time the conditions of training in
the institutions offering town planning courses.

The scope of planning services that a town planner can undertake in any service area is as
follows: urban and rural environment management, physical development management,
transportation and management, tourism development, planning research infrastructure, service
facility and utility planning, population movement control, resource planning, land management
consultancy, etc. In all these areas, the town planner, as a professional, can assist at any level of
the organization relevant to his discipline. Hence, town planners can work anywhere in the chain
of development of a city, be it cultural, physical, social, or economic.

Therefore, town planners have always been concerned with the quality of life, with the objective
of a city plan being to make the community a better place to work, live, and play. According to
NITP, a town planner’s day-to-day work mainly involves improvement in parts of a community,
and the fact that:

i. He arbitrates between activities and space.

 ii. Being futuristic, he does not limit his consideration to the demands of today but to years
to come.
iii. He predicts future space needs and accommodates them.
iv. His predictions help the government and individuals plan for the years ahead.
v. He advises the government on ways to improve communities and real estate developers
who are planning entirely new communities.
vi. He views a community as a single system in which all the parts are interdependent. He
deals with the physical layout of communities, makes proposals, and initiates policies
designed to make life comfortable, enjoyable, and profitable.

2.0 ROLES OF TOWN PLANNERS IN THE GOVERNMENT

Town planners play important roles within the government sector. Here are some key roles that
town planners often fulfill in government:

i. Planners contribute to the development of policies and guidelines that shape land use,
transportation, housing, and environmental management. They provide expertise and
analysis to inform decision-making processes, ensuring that policies align with
sustainable development goals, community needs, and long-term planning objectives.
ii. Planners review development proposals and permit applications to ensure compliance
with zoning regulations, environmental standards, and land use policies. They assess the
potential impacts of proposed developments on infrastructure, transportation, and
community services and make recommendations to support sustainable and well-planned
growth.
iii. Planners engage with various levels of government to gather input, understand respective
needs and aspirations, and incorporate public perspectives into planning processes. They
organize public meetings, workshops, and consultations to foster dialogue, build
consensus, and ensure that planning decisions reflect the interests of diverse stakeholders.
iv. Planners collect and analyze data related to demographics, land use, transportation, and
environmental factors on a large scale. They conduct research on national planning issues
and trends, which provides a basis for forecasting.
v. Planners contribute to environmental and sustainability planning efforts, working to
protect natural resources, mitigate climate change impacts, and promote sustainable
 development practices. They develop strategies for energy efficiency, waste management,
green infrastructure, and the conservation of natural habitats.
vi. Planners collaborate with various government departments, agencies, and stakeholders to
ensure coordinated and integrated planning approaches. They work with transportation
departments, environmental agencies, housing authorities, and economic development
organizations to align policies, share information, and achieve common objectives.

3.0 ROLE OF TOWN PLANNERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR

Around 90% of jobs in the developing world are in the private sector, which also offers essential
goods and services, increases tax receipts, and promotes the effective flow of capital. The
majority of future development will be carried out in urban areas by private investors, and among
these are the roles of town planners;

i. Technical planning tasks, including design, data analysis, writing, engineering, public
involvement, etc., are carried out by them. They oversee the project and offer
suggestions.
ii. They assist developers in convincing legislators, the general public, and investors to
support their project (i.e., advocacy planning).
iii. Planners work with real estate developers to prepare long-range planning documents,
such as general or comprehensive plans, town plans, housing plans, master plans, etc.
iv. Since they often have prior experience working in local government planning, they
occasionally aid private developers in navigating the zoning approval and entitlement
processes.
v. Preparation of detailed physical layout and site plans for residential, commercial,
institutional, recreational, industrial, and tourism development plans.
vi. Help to conduct social-economic impact assessments and demographic studies on the
project as may be required.
vii. Preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment, Site Analysis, and Environmental
Audit Reports.
viii. Provide consulting services to the private sector on physical development matters.
4.0 ROLE OF TOWN PLANNERS IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY

The role of planners in local government is crucial, as they play a key role in shaping the
immediate physical, social, and economic development of cities, towns, and regions. Some of the
roles include:

a. Planners are responsible for developing local land-use plans that guide the development
of residential, commercial, and industrial areas.
b. Planners monitor development proposals to ensure that they comply with local
regulations, such as zoning ordinances and building codes. For example, in smaller towns
and suburbs, they assist with zoning code enforcement or the review of building permits.
c. Planners help bring ideas to life and translate them into concrete programs and projects
that respond to the management of public facilities such as parks, community centers, and
public transportation systems (transactive planning).
d. Planners work closely with the community to identify their needs and goals for future
development and to identify alternative ways in which these problems can be solved.
e. Planners coordinate with emergency management officials to prepare for and respond to
natural disasters and other emergencies.
f. Planners bring a holistic perspective to local government by considering the needs of the
community, the environment, and the economy when making development decisions.

In summary, the town planners’ roles are numerous but can be collapsed into nine functional
aspects that cover all sectors of a livable city. Such as advocate, communicator, advisor,
innovator, coordinator, facilitator, technocrat, activist, and solicitor.