Roman Architecture and Urban Planning Principles in Modern Nigerian City Design: A Study of Abuja

Roman city planning, characterised by the grid layout (castrum design), monumental public spaces, triumphal architecture, and the functional segregation of civic, religious, and commercial zones, offers a comparative lens for examining the planned city of Abuja, the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory. This study analyses parallels between Roman urban planning principles and the design philosophy of Abuja, drawing on the works of Vitruvius and the physical evidence of cities such as Rome, Pompeii, and Timgad. A comparative documentary analysis was adopted, examining Abuja's original Master Plan (designed by Kenzo Tange, 1979), key architectural monuments, and urban governance documents, against Roman urban planning treatises and archaeological city descriptions. Field observation of selected Abuja landmarks, including Aso Rock Presidential Complex, Eagle Square, and the Central Business District, supplemented documentary analysis. Findings reveal strong structural parallels in monumental axial design, the use of elevated topographic features for government buildings, and the creation of processional routes linking political and civic spaces. The deliberate symbolism of imperial authority embedded in Roman city form is mirrored in Abuja's post-civil-war nation-building aspirations. The study concludes that classical urban planning principles, though mediated through postcolonial modernism, remain analytically visible in Abuja's design and recommends the inclusion of classical urban studies as a component of Nigerian architecture and urban planning education.

Keywords: Roman urban planning, Abuja, Vitruvius, city design, monumental architecture