Residential Satisfaction Among Low-Income Earners in Government-Subsidized Housing Estates in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Governments in Nigeria have developed several mass housing schemes with the goal of providing satisfactory residential environment at affordable cost for residents in urban areas. However, there is little understanding of the extent to which such schemes are meeting the housing needs and expectations of the low-income earners in this country. This study relied on a questionnaire survey involving 333 respondents to examine residential satisfaction among low-income households in 10 government-subsidized housing schemes in urban areas of Ogun State, Nigeria. The data were subjected to descriptive statistics, factor and regression analyses, and findings show that around 66% of the respondents were dissatisfied with the residential environment in the housing estates. Although the residents were most satisfied with the size of main activity areas and privacy in their homes, they were least happy with the economic environment in the estates. The regression model explained 89% of the variance in R2 with management of the housing estates, size of main activity areas, and privacy in the dwelling units and economic environment within and around the estates emerging as the top three factors with the most significant influence on residential satisfaction. The findings are instructive in providing a fresh insight into areas where specific attention is needed to ensure that future projects meet the needs of low-income households in urban Nigeria.