Abstract
<p><em>The proliferation of informal settlements in developing countries have become a major concern to governments and professionals in the built environment in recent years. This paper assessed informal human settlements in a rapidly urbanizing and growing urban area; the Greater Karu Urban Area (GKUA) in Nasarawa State of Nigeria. Information for the paper were obtained through the administration of a questionnaire on the residents and from published and official records. Data was collected from 4 out a 17 identified informal settlements; Mararaba, Masaka, New Nyanya and Kuchikau in GKUA. Questionnaires were administered to 10% (253) households’ randomly selected based on their availability and willingness to participate in the study. From 241 (95.4%) questionnaires that were returned, two types of informal settlements were identified: inner core (traditional slums) and the peri-urban informal/unplanned settlements/slums. The inner core slums showed very severe challenges pertaining to minimal and inadequate social amenities and infrastructure, poor sanitation, narrow winding road networks while the absence of social services and infrastructure, unplanned and uncontrolled development, and substandard housing of mixed quality characterised peri-urban slums. Residents perceived that internal and external drivers contributed to the rapid growth of informal settlements in GKUA. A Comprehensive and holistic spatial vision of the area that could promote and sustain physical, social, economic and environmental planning policies in a coordinated manner is urgently needed. </em></p>
Highlights
Informal settlements are a major landscape and characteristic of Greater Karu Urban Area (GKUA) in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State
The thrust of this paper is to examine the nature and drivers of informal human settlements in a rapidly urbanizing and growing urban area in the Greater Karu Urban Area, GKUA
According to UN-Habitat (2012) GKUA had about 17 informal settlements/slums in 2012 while Rikko (2016) showed an increase to more than 30. This indicated that informal settlements were fast increasing in number with further high propensity for future increase if appropriate planning intervention measures were not put in place
Summary
Informal settlements are a major landscape and characteristic of Greater Karu Urban Area (GKUA) in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. UN-Habitat (2012); Rikko, Dung Gwom and Lohor (2013) have observed that the emergence and development of informal settlements in GKUA is a consequent and ripple effect of their proximity to the federal capital and the inability of the federal capital administration to adequately meet the housing and infrastructural needs of the low and medium income workers of the FCT These experiences have increased greater challenges on city managers/planning institutions capacity to cope with the responsibility of effective control of the chaotic development in the area. Explore the drivers of growth of informal settlements in GKUA and their physical planning implications
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