Factors Affecting Planning Laws and Regulations Compliance in the Capital Cities in South-South Geopolitical Region, Nigeria

In many cities around the globe, humans have shown disdain and neglect to physical planning laws. The consequence is the social and environmental challenges that residents experience therein. This study examines the factors that affect planning laws compliance in the capital cities in the south-south geopolitical region, of Nigeria. The cross-sectional research approach was used. Data for the study were sourced from primary and secondary sources. Copies of the questionnaire were administered to all the 522 practicing town planners in the study area who constituted the study population but only 414 of them responded. Descriptive statistics was deployed in analyzing the data. The study found that corruption ranks first with a mean score of 3.77 followed by customs and traditions which score 3.63. It is also revealed by the study that political interference, weak enforcement of planning laws, and awareness of existing planning laws with mean scores of 3.42, and 3.25 respectively are also constraints to compliance with planning laws. The study, therefore, recommends that agencies of government saddled with the responsibility of enforcing planning regulations and laws should strictly enforce the extant planning laws so that residents will be forced to comply with the planning laws. It is also recommended that urban planners should not allow native laws and customs to interfere with urban planning regulations.