Precaution against Coronavirus and Housing Neighborhood Standard in Selected Areas of Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

Housing and neighborhood conditions can significantly affect health, safety, and well-being of citizens in a country. The current COVID-19 outbreak and its manner of transmission tests the potential resilience of nations, while revealing various economic, political, and health challenges – whereby housing being one and in fact the basis of them. The most well-planned and maintained housing environments in Nigeria are mostly populated by the rich, more-privileged, and less often the middle-income earners, while the lower-class groups of people reside in unkempt or sub-standard neighborhoods. The objectives of this study are to examine the neighborhood and housing standards in five selected areas of Lagos and to investigate the level of residents’ compliance with the physical/social distancing polices relating to the precautions against COVID-19 spread. Data were gathered through a mixed-method approach, alongside facility surveys and physical observations. A total of 161 copies of questionnaire were administered in the Fola-Agoro, Abule-Ijesha, Bariga, Abule-Oja, and Onike-Iwaya areas – all within the essential part of the city. 152 questionnaires were returned with 143 of them were found valid for generating the required analysis through the use of SPSS software. Features like road networks, drainage systems, infrastructural facilities, commercial properties, and various types of dwelling units exist across these areas. However, findings from the survey analysis indicated poor neighborhood and housing standards that manifested in lack of conducive neighborhood dwelling facilities/conditions like adequate space, proper ventilation, good security, serenity, efficient household services, and a well-planned environment, all affect residents’ operations in the areas. The overall inadequacy of basic amenities affected the residents’ level of adherence to the lockdown policy as the selected areas lacked appreciable neighborhood and housing standards. Hence, it is recommended that related and concerned authorities should provide the basic habitable conditions such as spacious neighborhood, good ventilation, serene environment, efficient neighborhood security and good road networks. This, presumably, will promote comfort among residents’ and enhance their ability to abide by the physical distancing policy towards the prevention of the pandemic spread and indeed any subsequent disease outbreaks capable of being doused by good neighborhood and housing standards.