The Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Olaniyi Yusuf, has called for the adoption of Artificial Intelligence in the operations of town planning activities in Nigeria.
The NESG boss stated this recently while speaking as a guest speaker at the 11th Waheed Kadiri Lecture series organised by the Nigeria Institute of Town Planners, Ogun State Chapter in Abeokuta.
The lecture series was held in honour of a former President of the NITP, Alhaji Waheed Kadiri for his contributions to the progress of the physical planning profession in Nigeria.
Yusuf who spoke on the theme, ’Global Trends Re-imagining Cities for Sustainable Development and Shared Prosperity’, stressed that the adoption of AI by town planners would lead to significant productivity.
He admonished town planners on the need to grow and be innovative due to rapid technological advancement, climate change, and shifts in societal dynamics.
According to the NESG Boss, Statista revealed that the global market for AI is estimated to be $243.7bn in 2025, while the market in Nigeria is expected to show an annual growth rate of 27.08 per cent, resulting in a market volume of $4.64bn by 2030.
“AI is transforming industries at a breakneck pace, and urban planning is no exception. From AI agents assisting with planning stimulation to drones mapping cities in real-time, the possibilities are endless and town planners must be trained to adopt AI into their daily operations.
“This will lead to significant productivity boost and faster output rate, however, these advancements come with potential disruptions,” he stated.
Yusuf also lamented that over 33 million people in Nigerian societies are at risk of extreme hunger due to food insecurity.
He advised that town planners must enable agriculture, transportation corridors, processing zones, and industrial areas by strategically designing urban space to promote sustainable food production and improve access to good markets.
Olaniyi advised that town planners and other future forced professionals and organisations must actively study the behaviours of the younger generation otherwise known as Gen Z and the millennials (born between 1981 – 1996), as these are the largest generational groups in the global workforce.
The Rector of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Jolaosho Babatunde, urged town planners not to indulge in building construction only, rather they should engage in activities that would grow the economy.
“Urban planning is not just about the construction of buildings and roads, rather it involves indulging in activities that foster economic growth,” Jolaosho stated.