Effectiveness of Urban Planning Documents Tested by Institutional Obstacles: The Case of Greater Lomé (TOGO)

Urban growth across Africa has triggered the adoption of a wide range of strategic planning tools aimed at guiding spatial development.In Greater Lome , instruments such as the Urban Development Master Plan (UDMP), the City Development Strategy (CDS), and the National Housing and Urban Development Policy (NPHUD) have been introduced to support more structured urban growth.However, a persistent gap remains between the theoretical ambitions of these frameworks and their practical implementation on the ground.This study seeks to identify the systemic barriers that limit the effective operationalization of planning documents in the Togolese capital.Using a mixed-methods approach, the research draws on document analysis, local case studies, and 184 semi-structured interviews with institutional, technical, and civil society stakeholders.The results reveal three interdependent constraints: normative instability due to overlapping and unstandardized terminologies; fragmented governance marked by weak coordination and limited capacity; and misalignment between planning goals and actual land management practices.These factors collectively hinder the transition from spatial planning to effective urban transformation.The study concludes that bridging this gap will require a stronger legal foundation, improved metropolitan-level coordination, and enhanced local capacity and ownership to realize the objectives of planned urban development in Greater Lome .