Evaluating Users’ Household-Size and Housing Quality in Osogbo, Nigeria

Abstract

The non-consideration of relevant socio–cultural parameters by Agencies responsible for housing provision has been identified as one of the major reasons for the housing inadequacies and poor quality in most developing countries - Nigeria inclusive. Significantly, this phenomenon has produced housing misuses, wastage of scarce resources and the creation of an apathetic citizenry. Premised on the foregoing, this paper examines the effect of users’ household-size – a socio-cultural parameter, in the determination of qualitative housing in Osogbo, Nigeria. Information on housing quality and households’ characteristics was provided by heads of households from 406 housing units, in three residential zones of Osogbo. Data analysis was by descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA).The result showed that the Yoruba ethnic group constitutes the majority (97.5% of the households), over other ethnic groups (Hausa, Igbo etc), while 70.9% of the households in the study area had an average household-size of six (6) or more persons. From the ANOVA test result (F=10.76; P=0.000), the study revealed a significant relationship between household-size and housing quality in Osogbo. The study further showed that the quality of housing in the city’s core area is poor compared with other residential areas in the town.The need to consider users’ household-size, among other relevant socio-cultural parameters in the design and development of qualitative housing in Nigeria is emphasized.Keywords: Housing quality; household-size; socio-cultural parameters; Osogbo; Nigeria.