Institute to develop new cities across Nigeria, others

Charters Cities Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to building the ecosystem for new charter cities, says it is championing a number of such developments in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

The organization noted that charter cities were development hubs created as either zones located in existing cities or brand new, greenfield city developments that could liberate people such as developers, entrepreneurs, and ordinary citizens alike from the restrictive regulations of doing business, building infrastructure and applying entrepreneurial ideas.

It added that this would help to unlock innovation and productivity by creating a better business environment to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty.

The institute said it had already started taking hold in Africa, with a number of new city developments being planned and built around the continent.

It said, “Enyimba Economic City, for example, is a greenfield city planned in Nigeria. Its development starts in June next year.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Abia State Government last year gave developers the go-ahead to commence planning and building the city that will be located at the juncture of five provinces, with a projected population of 1.5 million residents. Enyimba may be one of the first, but charter cities and charter zones are the way to go for the future of Africa.”

Speaking ahead of its conference coming up in Johannesburg, South Africa in March, the institute said exciting developments would be unpacked and planned at the event.

The institute stated that the adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Area would also be top on the agenda at the 2020 Charter Cities Conference.

“Free and fair trade between African nations and the rest of the world is the best and perhaps the only way to unleash the potential of African markets, grow economies and deal a crippling blow to the soaring poverty rates of this continent,” it stated.

source: Maureen Ihua-Maduenyi