Urban Planning Re-birth for Challenges in the Dynamic Urban Economy for Managing City Environment: A Review

Abstract

Globally, urbanization and cities environments are a hub of informal sector of urban economy in developing countries as the engine of growth for wealth creation, employment generation, and poverty reduction. Pessimist urban authorities demises the sector as chaotic jumble of unproductive sector, often seen as eye-sores and undesirable to an extent some consider the growth a form of urban insurgency. This review therefore aimed at drawing attention to an alternative urban planning re-birth with a view to address the challenges of the dynamic informal sector of urban economy in Nigeria through exploratory design of literature review to justify the existence of the problem worthy to be studied within the context of experiences in the informal sectors of urban economy in Nigeria. Through reviewing the economic contribution of informal economy in Nigeria, policy issues and debate on informal urban economy in Nigeria, challenges of informal sector of urban economy in urban planning perspective and theoretical approaches in reinventing urban planning for good governance. The findings revealed that without informal sector of urban economy, the poor will certainly become a larger burden to urban authorities, and not only domain for the urban poor but many middle class people greatly benefit from it. It is recommended that urban planning should be positioned for good governance and environmentally be pro-poor and inclusive and recognizing urban economy diversity for sustainable management of city environment.

Keywords: Planning, Informal Economy, Management, Environment