Analysis of the Effectiveness of Urban Agriculture Policy in Lagos and Ibadan: A Comparative Study

Urban agriculture policy in Nigerian cities has been given increasing attention as a strategy for food security and urban livelihoods, but systematic evaluation of policy effectiveness across different urban contexts remains limited. This study comparatively analyses the effectiveness of urban agriculture policies in Lagos and Ibadan, two of Nigeria's largest and most urbanized cities with contrasting population density, spatial structure, and governance capacity. Using a comparative policy analysis design, the study reviews urban agriculture policy instruments, budgetary allocations, and program implementation records from both states. Surveys were conducted with 200 urban farming households in each city on their experience of policy support, land access conditions, and production outcomes. Government program reach and resource adequacy were evaluated through institutional interviews with 16 agricultural and planning officials. Geographic analysis identified areas of urban farming concentration and their relationship to planning designations. Findings are expected to reveal that Lagos's denser and more intensively built environment creates greater land access constraints for urban farming, while Ibadan's lower-density fringe offers more farming opportunity but weaker institutional support. Both cities demonstrate limited integration of urban agriculture into formal planning frameworks. The comparative analysis generates transferable lessons for policy development. Recommendations address context-differentiated urban agriculture policy designs, integration of urban agriculture zones into both cities' planning frameworks, land access programs for urban farmers in high-density contexts, and cross-city learning platforms for urban agriculture practitioners and planners. Keywords: Urban agriculture policy, Lagos, Ibadan, Comparative analysis, Food security.