Ibadan – The Oyo State Government through the New Towns and Cities Development Authority (OYNTCDA) on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to reshaping the state’s urban renewal through a coordinated, technology-driven development framework.
This came during a press briefing held at the Governor’s Office Conference Room, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan, where the Executive Adviser on New Towns and Cities Development Authority, Mrs Mofoluke Adebiyi, provided clarification on the agency’s mandate, ongoing work and the government’s vision for smarter, more inclusive communities.
Adebiyi revealed that her agency has engaged with stakeholders and affected property owners from Akinyele Local Government at a town hall meeting earlier on Tuesday prior to the briefing while stressing for deepened inclusivity as the project progresses.
The Executive Adviser explained that the agency was established in April 2025 following a pronouncement by Governor Seyi Makinde to streamline how towns and cities expand in line with the vision for the urbanization agenda.
“The authority was created with a single aim of transforming the urban landscape of Oyo State, our assignment looks beyond today. It is futuristic,” she said.
She outlined the agency’s core responsibility as designing and guiding expansion in Ibadan and other major towns through a scientifically informed blueprint that considers population patterns, migration trends, economic shifts and the influence of neighbouring states.
“Our primary responsibility is to deliver smart, inclusive and resilient urban solutions to improve lives, unlock economic opportunities and raise the standard of living for our people. That is why we say we are building tomorrow’s Oyo today,” she added.
Adebiyi gave instances of two flagship assignments currently underway. She said the first of the flagship projects is the 110-kilometre circular road encircling Ibadan, which she noted has passed through multiple administrations unsuccessfully
She described the corridor as a planned mixed-use zone that will host residential, industrial, commercial and recreational hubs.
Adeniyi explained that the circular road has a controlled use. It’s to ensure that mobility within the city is made easy, as it is not expected that the Circular road will serve for the use of the local people. She said service roads will be created to serve the people and The circular road is majorly for those travelling through Ibadan.
Regarding the issue of those who reside with the corridor, Adeniyi said they will be integrated in a manner the circular road will not be a threat to their existence and they won’t be a threat to the circular road.
In her words: “Economic activities should drive living and recreation. And development must be inclusive. High, medium and low-income earners will all have a place within this corridor.”
The second pilot project is a new business district positioned around the state’s evolving transport infrastructure, including the upgraded airport, the Lagos–Ibadan rail line and ongoing pipeline networks noting that “It is expedient for the state to prepare for the future, and the future is now.
Responding to questions from newsmen, Adebiyi stressed that community engagement has been consistent and will intensify “Advocacy is not a one-off activity. It is a process, we have held several town hall meetings with affected communities and we will continue to do so,” she explained.
While maintaining that the agency has been busy making frantic efforts to get accurate data to guide its operations, she acknowledged that there had been protests and resistance during data-collection exercises, but said tensions were easing off already due to consistent engagements. She also urged that the officers assigned to carry out these data-collection exercises be allowed access to the affected areas, so as to get the accurate datas.
According to her, an inter-ministerial committee, affected local government chairmen, community representatives and mortgages are all part of a structured engagement framework.
Adebiyi also addressed concerns about compensation for affected residents. She explained that detailed assessments are still ongoing for the wider corridor, while compensation for the first 32.2 kilometres has been paid on the right of way.
“Best practices are being applied but government agencies must be allowed access to the field to determine accurate valuation,” Adebiyi pleaded.
She equally confirmed the controversial case of a homeowner who reportedly received 400,000 naira for a 3-bedroom duplex, describing it as an error.
“Yes, that person was underpaid. His Excellency has directed that the case be revisited. We believe there was a mix-up and it is being reviewed.”
She added that the government would seriously consider publishing compensation lists in newspapers and other platforms to strengthen transparency and public confidence.
Adebiyi explained the legally defined development corridor around the circular road saying: “The road comes with 500 metres on both sides of the median, making one kilometre in total. But in heavily developed areas, this has been reduced to 150 metres on each side to minimise displacement to the barest minimum,” she explained further.
Mrs Mofoluke Adebiyi, Executive Adviser to the Oyo State Governor on New Towns and Cities
She expressed concerns over falsified survey documents, saying many fraudulent papers originate outside government while assuring that with the new technology driven approach, such cases would be adequately addressed.
“There is a lot of foul play around documentation. Some survey numbers do not even match the land they claim to describe,” She added.
She noted that the authority’s shift to automated, e-governance systems will make such abuses far more difficult for anyone attempting to evade the laid down process. “When you introduce automation, fake documentation becomes difficult to insert into the system,” she said. This is as she revealed that her agency was created to tackle the issue of erecting buildings without proper documentation.
Adebiyi confirmed that Oyo State has keyed into the African Continental Free Trade Agreement and is already advancing plans for a free trade zone.
She said the initiatives are meant to make doing business easier in Oyo State adding that the investment promotion agency is taking the lead, but many of the processes will support investor confidence.
She spoke briefly about other development plan, which includes light and high-intensity industrial hubs, commercial spaces, mixed-use clusters, residential areas, green zones and recreation centers.
Adebiyi called for patience and cooperation from residents and all stakeholders.
In her words, “There will be reasons to sacrifice and to shift but we must look beyond the immediate. This work is for the benefit of our children and even the yet unborn.”
She emphasised that OYNTCDA will continue its work across all major towns in the state and will sustain public engagement at every stage saying: “Oyo State belongs to all of us. Everyone has a stake and everyone must be carried along.”
