SITE AND SERVICES SCHEME: A CATALYST FOR (SUSTAINABLE) PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT IN AN EMERGING URBAN CITY: A CASE STUDY OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY – ABUJA

ESV Daniels Yakubu Ogwu,

Nigeria is the most populous nation in the continent of Africa with a population of about 223 million (Wikipedia 2023). The population has been growing fast with its attendant pressure on existing infrastructure and the need for the provision of new ones.

Abuja became the federal capital territory of Nigeria from the 5th day of February, 1976. Before then Lagos was the federal capital. Lagos became almost unmanageable due to, mainly among others, population pressure as well as the associated menaces that accompany it. Lagos was faced with terrible traffic congestion, poor drainage, chronic congestion, unbearable ethnic influence and dominion over land matters which are resultant effects of absence of adequate and effective planning, and provision of infrastructure before properties are developed.

To correct these and many other anomalies, Abuja was made the new federal capital territory. A master plan was produced called the “Abuja Master Plan” to aid development of a modern befitting capital city that ensures adequate planning, ease and coordination of developmental efforts.

Many, if not all cities that were built or in the process of building without proper planning are usually chaotic. That was the problem of Lagos as the capital of Nigeria. One of the visions for Abuja as a new capital city is to provide all the necessary infrastructural facilities before properties are developed. This is what site and services scheme is all about. It is believed this contributed to the idea of breaking the development of the capital city into phases.

Studies have shown that the basis for sustainable urban development is the existence of functioning and efficient sites with infrastructure and services. Therefore, site and services scheme is considered as a catalyst for sustainable property development in the Federal Capital City.

Sites and services scheme involve the subdivision of land into smaller units or plots with the provision of essential infrastructures such as roads, water supply, electricity and drainage. In 1978 when the development of Abuja started in earnest, office and residential accommodations were provided for the initial workforce in Suleja and later Gwagwalada, this move was to ensure that infrastructures were provided before any property development. Major parts of districts like Maitama, Wuse 1, Garki 1 experienced full implementation of site and services scheme before actual development of properties.

Infrastructural facilities were provided before the plots were allocated which agreed with the master plan. Existing communities that were allowed to remain in the Phase 1 of the plan were done that they were to move immediately development gets to such areas.

With the mass influx of people into Abuja due to some reasons beyond the scope of this work, there is service pressure on existing infrastructure. This calls for more investments in sites and services schemes so that we do not build another “Lagos” as the capital.
There are challenges associated with sites and services scheme including the following:

Cost/Inadequate funding: Sites and services scheme is capital intensive. In a situation where the economy of a nation is not doing well coupled with the issue of scarce resources site and service scheme suffers.
Time: provision of infrastructural facilities takes time to complete.
Technology: nations lagging behind in technological advancement suffer set backs compared to the level of success achieved by the advanced nations in terms of infrastructural provisions.

Lack of maintenance: every infrastructure requires adequate maintenance, where this is lacking the facilities deteriorate fast and defeat the goals for their provision.

Inadequate legal framework: where punishments are not stated or meted on people who willingly abuse the use of these infrastructures encourage further abuse. Also, contracts entered for the provision of infrastructures with contracture must not give room to loop holes for any party to take advantage of the other.

Corruption: this is a big problem especially when the legal framework is not adequate. Staff of the state can compromise as well as the contractors in negotiations and implementations of agreed terms thereby creating higher cost of projects and so on.

Community resistance: where indigenes are allowed to remain on land they pose difficulties in ejecting them thereby slowing down development.
Environmental impact
High cost of services:
Inadequate monitoring and evaluation
Land ownership disputes: land ownership disputes are not usually easily dispensed with. Where cases drag in court for a long period of time projects are hampered.
Inadequate access to finances: finance sourcing is usually inadequate. So many projects chasing few available finances. Even the financial institutions merged together do not have enough resources to go round.
Despite these aforementioned challenges, it has the following advantages:
Affordable housing
Infrastructural development
Increased property values
Reduced development cost
Streamlined development process: pre-approved plans and approvals, streamlining development process
Enhanced liveability
Economic growth
Public- private partnerships
Access to amenities
Improved security
Increased property ownership.

ESV Daniels Yakubu Ogwu, is an Abuja-based Estate Surveyor and Valuer