HDAN Kicks As FCT Green Belts Disappear

The Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has called on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to halt the allocation and conversion of designated green areas in Abuja, warning that such practices threaten the city’s environmental sustainability, urban planning integrity and the quality of life of residents.

HDAN, a leading civil society organisation championing housing rights and sustainable urban development in Nigeria, raised an alarm that parks, gardens and buffer zones originally reserved as green lungs of the city are now being eroded through indiscriminate land allocations for commercial and residential developments.

The group said this trend, if left unchecked, could plunge the capital into severe environmental, social, and infrastructural crises.

“Abuja was carefully planned with specific provisions for green areas to ensure a healthy living environment. Unfortunately, we are witnessing the gradual encroachment on these spaces, which not only violates the city’s master plan but also endangers its future sustainability,” HDAN stated.

According to the group’s Executive Director, Festus Adebayo, green areas are essential for regulating urban temperature, improving air quality, reducing flooding, and providing much-needed recreational spaces for families and communities.

HDAN warned that turning such spaces into concrete jungles poses long-term dangers to the environment and undermines Abuja’s original vision as a model city.

Adebayo stressed that HDAN has received multiple reports from stakeholders in housing, real estate, and environmental protection sectors raising concerns about the increasing loss of green zones.

“The destruction of these areas is not just an environmental issue, it is also a governance and accountability matter,” he emphasized, noting that preserving green spaces is vital to ensuring that Abuja does not become a city defined by congestion, pollution, and poor livability.

Residents have also raised alarm over the conversion of Abuja’s designated green belts into estates and private developments.

In several districts such as Guzape, Maitama, Wuse, Katampe, and Kado, areas originally mapped as utility corridors and environmental buffers have been fenced, cleared, and built upon.

This trend, they warn, is already taking a toll on the city, with flooding, burst sewer lines, and worsening air quality becoming more frequent, particularly during the rainy season when natural water channels are obstructed.

They also caution that unchecked development could worsen traffic congestion, deprive children of recreational spaces, and expose communities to health and safety risks.

Experts have added that siting structures near waterways and directly under power transmission lines not only violates safety standards but also heightens the risk of disasters.

The growing concern is that Abuja is gradually losing its environmental balance and livability due to the erosion of its green areas.

HDAN further urged the FCT to prioritise strict enforcement of the Abuja Master Plan, ensure transparency in land allocations, and launch a comprehensive audit of all areas designated as green zones.

Adebayo also called for stronger collaboration with urban planners, environmentalists, and housing advocates to create sustainable solutions for development without compromising green infrastructure.

“Cities across the world are embracing greener and more sustainable urban policies, but Abuja risks moving in the opposite direction if this issue is not urgently addressed. Protecting our green spaces is not negotiable; it is about safeguarding the future of the capital and ensuring the wellbeing of generations to come,” he said.

While acknowledging the enormous pressures on land in the FCT due to rapid urbanisation, HDAN maintained that such challenges should not justify the destruction of spaces that are meant to serve collective public interest. Instead, it urged the government to explore innovative housing and infrastructure policies that balance growth with sustainability.

The advocacy group also appealed to the Minister to listen to the voices of stakeholders in the housing and urban development sector who have consistently warned against tampering with Abuja’s green belts.

“This is the time for decisive leadership to protect what is left of the city’s natural heritage and restore confidence in urban governance,” HDAN emphasised.