Assessment of Land Use Planning and Development Control in Kaduna Metropolis

This study assesses the effectiveness of land use planning and development control mechanisms in Kaduna Metropolis, Kaduna State, North West Nigeria. Rapid and often unplanned urban expansion in Kaduna has resulted in haphazard development, encroachments on green areas, conversion of residential zones to commercial uses, and infrastructure congestion that challenge the capacity of existing planning frameworks. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining a physical survey of land use violations in five selected neighbourhoods with structured interviews conducted with 25 urban planning officers from the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority and 60 property developers. Secondary data from KASUPDA approval records for a three-year period were also reviewed. Findings indicate that development control approval processes are adhered to by fewer than 40 percent of developers who undertook construction during the reference period, attributable to permit processing delays averaging nine months, high approval fees, and limited enforcement of compliance after construction commencement. Residential to commercial use conversion is most prevalent in Barnawa and Malali neighbourhoods. The study identifies understaffing at KASUPDA, inadequate site monitoring capacity, and unclear enforcement powers as the primary systemic weaknesses. Recommendations include streamlining the development permit process through an online application portal, significantly increasing KASUPDA's monitoring staff complement, and introducing a regularisation scheme for completed non-conforming developments that contribute stamp duty and compliance fees. Keywords: land use planning, development control, Kaduna, urban planning, KASUPDA.