DAKWOM LONGGUL, ​JOS, NIGERIA –
Delivering his inaugural lecture at the University of Jos, Professor Samuel Danjuma Wapwera, a leading expert in Sustainable Urban Built Environmental Planning, issued a compelling call to rethink how Nigerian cities are built and managed.
​The lecture, titled “The Exclusive Ideal: Ripples of Physical Planning Developments and the Unfulfilled Promise of the Greater Jos Urban Master Plan,” highlighted a growing crisis in urban development. Professor Wapwera argued that traditional “Master Planning”—often characterized by rigid, long-term frameworks and top-down decision-making—is failing to keep pace with the rapid urbanization seen in the Jos Metropolis.
​Professor Wapwera pointed out that while master plans look good on paper, they often fail in practice due to:
​Lack of Flexibility: They cannot adapt to the fast-moving demographic and economic changes cities face today.
​Political and Financial Barriers: Implementation is frequently stalled by political interference, institutional fragmentation, and insufficient funding.
​Exclusion: These plans often ignore the lived experiences of marginalized groups, failing to create inclusive or equitable urban spaces.
​As a solution, Professor Wapwera advocates for Spatial Planning. Unlike the static master plan, this approach is designed to be an “integrated, flexible, and inclusive framework”. It focuses on real-time data, community participation, and “multi-scale linkages” that connect local needs to broader regional goals.
​”Only through such holistic reorientation can the elusive ideal of well-ordered, sustainable urban growth in Jos become a tangible reality instead of a recurring aspiration,” the Professor noted.

​The lecture concluded with a direct challenge to the Plateau State Government. Professor Wapwera urged the establishment of a dedicated committee to review the current Greater Jos Urban Master Plan, which he described as an “unfulfilled promise,” and to sign it into law for immediate, flexible implementation to overcome historical barriers.

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Prof. Wapwera Calls for Shift from “Rigid” Master Plans to Dynamic Spatial Planning in Jos