Urban Development In Nigeria Research Articles

Town Planning Professional Practice and Networking: An Academic Perspective on the Importance, Benefits, and Challenges of Sustainable Urban Development in Nigeria

Town Planning Professional Practice and Networking: An Academic Perspective on the Importance, Benefits, and Challenges of Sustainable Urban Development in Nigeria

Impact of Residential Land Use Change on Intra Urban Road Network of Akure, Nigeria

The utilization of different land uses in different locations generates the demand for transport, where system and supply of transport enable the distribution of different land uses in different locations. Therefore, one can simply argue that urban and spatial planners, transport planners, highway engineers, public transport and logistics operators, retailers and developers should all come together to create new strategies and policies on the logic of land use management, transport geography, accessibility, and implied division of labors. This study investigated the impact of residential land use change on intra urban road network of Akure, a medium size city with moderate population in southwestern Nigeria. Four major intra urban roads in the city center were considered in this research and a total of 150 houses and residents within 200m distance from the roads which amounted to 5% of the buildings within the study area were sampled. Information, relating to road network, condition of road, level of land use conversion among others, was gotten with Geographic Information System (GIS), questionnaire, personal observation and interview. It was found out that, most residential land use along intra urban roads in the city center had been converted to commercial land use either totally or partially. The study affirmed that, residential land use change has both physical and socio economic impacts on road network development and the environment. It was therefore recommended that, proper land use planning, establishment of a commercial center to cater for the city’s commercial needs and the preparation and implementation of a transportation master plan will reduce the problems observed. This will ensure adequate intra urban road management as well as sustainable urban development in Nigeria.

Role of the Law in Achieving Sustainable Urban Development through Fiscal Incentives in Nigeria

As the Nigerian population increasingly becomes urban; the situation has had harmful societal, environmental, health and infrastructural effects on the urban centres. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the rate of land urbanisation in the country is moving at a slower pace; thereby placing pressure on the existing urban centres. Research conducted on urbanisation in Nigeria has revealed that the rate of urbanisation is unsustainable, serves as a constraint on economic development, and Nigeria’s cities are among the worst to live in. Data on the urbanization policies of various governments, globally, reveals that Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world without a clear urban policy. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s population continues to increase and is expected to have doubled by 2050. It is against this backdrop that this paper undertakes a multidisciplinary study of how the law’s adoption of fiscal incentives can help drive sustainable urban development in Nigeria. This paper argues that this will help the state governments in the decongestion of the existing urban centres (as the population urbanisation increases), ensure the creation of new urban centres, utilise fiscal incentives to attract businesses/ urban population to the new centres, and have sufficient fiscal revenues to sustainably manage the urban centres. This paper comparatively analyses the contribution of China’s legal system to its state-led land urbanization moving at a faster rate than its population urbanisation, thereby avoiding the ills associated with urbanization such as congestion, unemployment, etc. With China and Nigeria sharing a similar decentralized tax and fiscal system, state ownership of land, and a large population; this paper argues that the Chinese model can be adopted successfully in Nigeria.

Examining the Roles of Stakeholders and Evidence in Policymaking for Inclusive Urban Development in Nigeria: Findings from a Policy Analysis

This study examined the extent to which stakeholders are involved and evidence considered in urban development policies and strategies in Nigeria. With a high urban population growth rate in Nigerian cities, sustainable urban development is critical and should be hinged on viable policies that are evidence-based and consider stakeholders’ inputs and interests. A document review of policies, strategies, and plans that are relevant to urban development in Nigeria was conducted. A total of 25 documents were reviewed consisting of 11 policies, 7 plans and 6 strategies/programs/initiatives/road maps, and 1 legal act. A scoping literature review was also done to navigate assessment of the policy documents. Narrative synthesis of findings was conducted. Various stakeholders at the federal and state levels were listed in the policy and strategy documents as being involved in urban development in Nigeria, including government agencies, development partners, civil society organizations, and community groups. The lack of clarity in stakeholders’ roles in policy development was noted. Various forms of evidence were stated to have been used in policy development including examining policy antecedents, statistical data from diverse sources, country-wide experiences, and expert advice. Stakeholders’ roles in urban development in Nigeria vary across policies, and their involvement in the policy development process is not often explicit. There is a need for harmonized inclusion. Although various forms of evidence were alluded to in some Nigerian urban policies, the sources and manner of utility were somewhat unclear.

Overcoming the obstacles to sustainable housing and urban development in Nigeria: The role of research and innovation

The challenges in housing and urban infrastructure development in Nigeria are enormous. This work is aimed at exploring the role of research and innovation in overcoming the challenges. It is indeed captured in Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which aims at making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable by the year 2030. The methodology used is desk study and the use of secondary data to critically analyze the challenges and proffer solutions. The challenges identified include poor maintenance of infrastructure, bribery and corruption, lack of product-driven research, preference to foreign goods and services over local ones, poor policy formulation and implementation, high cost of building materials, poor compliance to regulations and standards, poor budgeting and budget implementation, lack of commercialization of research findings, poor funding mechanism and lack of skilled manpower. There is a need for government, industry and research institutions to work together. Research and innovation can be used to: formulate good policies, create new materials, improve the efficiency of local building materials, create jobs, understand population dynamics, evolve an integrated approach to housing infrastructure and formulate new functional designs for housing infrastructure. Product-driven research is strongly recommended in order to achieve the desired improvement of the housing and urban development sector. There is also a need for adequate funding for research and innovation by government and private sector. To this end, it is recommended that 1% of the cost of housing and infrastructure projects should be reserved for research and innovation.

“Presumed urbanization”: The experiences of Onitsha city slums dwellers

Onitsha urban was carefully planned with the environment contours in mind. Areas of recreation, schools, hospitals, government offices and residential quarters were well provided. However, after the Nigeria-Biafra war, the urban planning became bastardized. People began to erect shacks in waterways blocking drainage systems with little official rebuke. Gradually, the beautiful city degenerated into big slums. This unchecked “subsequent” development of the city away from its original purview is the crux of this research. This study examines the lived experiences of the people in these slums, the effect on children, the urban city, as well as the challenges posed by climate change. Investigations revealed a paradigm shift in the popular narratives that poverty, cheap house rents, unemployment and low-income earning are the reasons a large number of people live in slums. The findings from the study were drawn through the use of the qualitative and quantitative method of historical inquiry while Onitsha served as the study area, as the study strived to address the unsustainable urban development in Nigeria. Research designs such as case study, cross-sectional design, survey design, experimental and descriptive designs were used for the interpretation of the questionnaires and the findings of the research. The individual/opportunity nexus theory of migration by Shane and Venkataraman complemented by Stokes theory of slums were used in this research. This paper concludes that an effective urban planning and low-cost housing estate should be factored in during constructions in Onitsha Nigeria just like in other parts of Asian and European countries. This is to forestall the environmental degradation that could lead to health crisis and reclaim the city from falling irredeemably into a huge ghetto.

The Millennium Development Goals, Sustainability and Urban Development in Nigeria

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are targeted at eradicating extreme hunger and poverty in the 189 member countries of the United Nations (UN). Nigeria as a member of the United Nation keyed into the implementation o/ the framework of the goals by formulating the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), NEEDS as a policy is targeted at eradicating poverty- and bringing about sustainable development. Sustainable urbanization is a global challenge. Rapid urban expansion without effective environmental consciousness means that in virtually every urban center, a substantial proportion of the population is at risk from natural and human-induced environmental hazards. This paper examines some of the challenges of urbanization and sustainable development in Nigeria. An assessment of the nation's implementation of the United Nations Millennium development goals is done. The paper examines the goals pertaining to poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability and their application in Nigerian rural and urban centers. It was discovered that none of the identified goals or targets has been adequately addressed. Therefore, the Nigerian State is far from achieving Sustainable development. This paper concludes by recommending that sustainability, Urban Development and the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals can be achieved by a pragmatic and efficient campaign aimed at tackling poverty and environmental degradation.

Oil Exploitation, Neglect of Coal and the Ngwo Society, 1909 - 1987

Coal was one of the catalysts of the Industrial Revolution which started in England and spread to other parts of Europe. It provided the main source of primary energy for industry and transportation. The spread of coal mining to Africa was as a result of European conquest and subsequent colonization. The conquest of Ngwo in 1908 led to the discovery and eventual mining of coal in Enugu-Ngwo from 1915. In the period exploitation lasted, coal from the town furnished the energy needed for transportation, industrialization and urban development in Nigeria. It also provided direct and indirect employment to people across Europe and Africa and as well facilitated international trade between Nigeria and her partners across the world. Since petroleum was discovered in Nigeria in 1956 and as was found a better alternative to coal in terms of energy and wealth generation, the coal industry suffered neglect and gradually collapsed. How the collapse of the coal industry as a result of the rise of petroleum affected Ngwo people is the central theme of this paper. It contends that, though petroleum is regarded as a source of wealth to Nigeria, it is, nonetheless a source of poverty to Ngwo people. The British colonialists dispossessed them of massive farmlands upon which they operated their local economy to set up the colliery and other facilities. Also, more than 8,000 of the people who contributed their youthful years mostly as miners lost their jobs without compensation. The development prospects especially under corporate–social responsibilities and employment generation which the people ought to benefit from with the continued existence of the coal exploitation were lost with the demise of the industry. Primary sources constitute greater percentage of the sources deployed for this historical reconstruction. They include oral tradition granted by reliable informants and source materials acquired from the National Archives Enugu. They are be augmented by secondary sources which include books, journal articles and other un-published materials. Available facts will be analyzed using qualitative research methodology.

Urbanization in Nigeria: The Onitsha experience

In Nigeria, many urban centers sprung up as a result of colonial administrative development and its subsequent mining activities. A typical instance is the cities of Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kaduna which emerged as administrative, commercial or mining centers. Similarly, Onitsha, a budding traditional society, metamorphosed over time to be a commercial center in Eastern Nigeria. In lieu of this, the competition between migrant traders and indigenes intensified over land ownership and customary rights. In recent times, Onitsha faces the challenge of inadequate spaces both for its businesses and for its residential quarters resonating communal conflicts between neighbouring communities: a consequence of urbanization pressure developed during the process of land acquisition. Largely, this paper aims at investigating the inherent causes of rural-urban migration as well as exploring the contributions and challenges of migrants in Onitsha. Employing qualitative and quantitative methods of historical inquiry, this paper will attempt an analysis, using Onitsha as a case study, of differing problems and prospects of sustainable urban development in Nigeria. Three qualitative techniques namely: phenomenological approach, narrative approach and process tracing will be utilized for data collection, its analysis and in the interpretation of findings. The paper will mostly investigate the contradictions inherent in migration patterns and how these affect settler-indigene relations in the city of Onitsha, South-Eastern Nigeria. The push-pull theoretical paradigm by Ernest Ravenstein complemented by the individual/opportunity nexus theory advanced by Shane and Venkartaraman will be appropriated for this purpose. Basically, the crux of the study purports that Onitsha's urban development lies currently on a tinder box as the city's lack of an urban development plan has resulted in the emergence of illegal structures especially on water ways; a classic case being the River Niger which may one day overflow its banks thereby birthing detrimental consequences. Against this background, an efficient town planning committee instituted by the government should ensure adequately that Onitsha is restored to its prior status as a plush and plum city.

Town Planning, Land Allocation and Urban Development in Nigeria's Real Sector

The Law has laid down important provisions touching on urban development and land allocation which play a vital role in controlling development of the country. It consists of national planning, structural planning, local planning and special area planning. The combined effect of these Laws is to translate the development agenda of the government into action so that urban growth will be systematic and sustainable. The danger in these is that where government fails to monitor development, land resources will be wasted. This paper considers the town planning laws, land allocation and urban development with the sole aim of determining the impact on the country’s real estate sector. The success and failures of the Laws will be examined and recommendations will be provided where necessary.

Stakeholders’ Perception on Public Participation Programme in Promoting Urban Development in Nigeria

Urban planning often involved controversial decisions, thus, requires the participation of stakeholders and citizens leading to more acceptable and legitimise solutions. Public participation exercise, however, is futile if it is not functional for planning and meaningful to the public. Functional participation means better planning decisions while meaningful participation creates opportunities for public to influence decisions leading to a sense of ownership for the plan. This study aims to assess whether public participation programme (PPP) in urban planning is meaningful to the community of Bida town, Nigeria. The study examines the stages of government-based public participation programme (PPP), namely; early, middle and last stage in the participatory process.344 questionnaires were administered using randomly sampling method to planning officers, traditional leaders, youth leaders, and household heads. Descriptive statistics using central tendency was adopted in the analysis. Findings reveal that public are predominantly involved at the early stage, while the other two stages have no significant citizens engagement. The study suggests areas to improve public participation and invariably would help practitioners and law-makers in designing effective plan for public participation programme in urban development.

Infrastructure Financing and Urban Development in Nigeria

The availability of adequate infrastructure facilities is imperative for the overall economic development of any country. However, developing countries like Nigeria are particularly bedeviled by issues of adequate infrastructure financing and this has great consequences on its citizenry. The aim of this study is to evaluate infrastructure financing strategies and its effect on urban development in Nigeria with a view to providing information that will guide policy makers in the country particularly and similar developing economies in general in making informed decisions on their infrastructure investment strategies. The theoretical research approach was adopted for this study. The study revealed that inadequate investment in basic infrastructure (due to severe budget constraints) and the rapid rate of urbanization in Nigeria is putting considerable strain on the nation's limited infrastructure. Hence, there is a need for large and continuing amounts of investments in almost all areas of infrastructure in Nigeria. Similarly, investment in maintaining existing infrastructure has suffered gross neglect, leaving the country with degraded and inefficient infrastructure services; this is compounded by unprecedented urban growth in major urban centers such as Lagos, Abuja and Port-Harcourt. This has resulted into the explosion of informal settlements (slums) in and around these major cities. This ugly situation is occasioned by mainly lack of long-term funds for infrastructure financing; uncertain political/economic environment; fear of policy reversals by successive governments as typical infrastructure projects span over long periods, etc. In Nigeria, the government has been the sole financier of infrastructural projects and has often taken responsibility for implementation, operations and maintenance as well. There is a need for paradigm shift in this respect as this may not be the best way to execute/finance these projects. It is obvious that the government alone cannot adequately shoulder the responsibility of infrastructure financing, therefore, to ensure urban development in Nigeria; this study recommends the involvement of the private sector in infrastructure financing. Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) offer a promising solution to the financing needs of the country as it could attract foreign investments. It is recommended that infrastructure investments should be made in such a way as to recover the invested resources through a system of user charges. This means that the services of investment projects in the country should no more be continued as a free good.

Noise Pollution in Urban Areas: The Neglected Dimensions

This study which aim at review of noise pollution levels and its sources in Nigerian urban areas, reveals that noise pollution in Nigeria cities is found to be relatively high when compared to recommended levels by World Health Organization (WHO), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Committee on Environmental and Occupational Health (CEOH) or Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). In Nigeria, there is no legal frame research upon which noise pollution can be abated. The study observes that Nigerian cities are environmentally noise polluted and the road traffic, industrial machineries and generators are the major sources of it. Noting that the noise levels lie much above the prescribed limits there is an imminent health risk to the exposed population. The complexity and magnitude of the problem of noise pollution call for effective and well-planned measures in the country, Nigeria. Government, industries and research institutions have so far given low priority to evolve strategies to prevent the epidemic of this invisible disease from spreading further. Some measures to combat the problem of noise pollution are outlines in this study so as to have sustainable urban development in Nigeria.

Perspectives on Urban Renewal and Transportation Development in Lagos: Implications for Urban Development in Nigeria

Lagos city has emerged a growing Primate city, at least, growing faster than any other city in sub-Sahara Africa in terms of population, urban renewal, roads and infrastructural development. The problems of urban development and transportation in Lagos can be summarized into the following: the problem of old narrow streets in most of the unplanned areas of the city and the emerging incursion of transport infrastructural facilities into the residential areas as a result of growing traffic volumes on Lagos roads. Similarly, the problems of haphazard development and slum expansion due to increased population pressure have necessitated the state Government to initiate massive renewal programmes. These are implemented through Public Private Partnership Initiatives. This has given rise to the building of the Atlantic City’ and the Bus Rapid Transit. What happens in Lagos if extended to other states is being envisaged to be the panacea to urban development in Nigeria.

Infrastructure and Poverty Reduction: Implications for Urban Development in Nigeria

The paper investigates the impact of infrastructural development on poverty reduction in Nigeria. Specifically, the relative effects of physical and social infrastructure on living standards or poverty indicators are examined, with a view to providing empirical evidence on the implications of increased urban infrastructure for the urban poor. The paper employs secondary data for the period 1970:1 to 2005:4 and the Structural Vector Autoregressive technique is adopted in the analysis. The study unequivocally finds that infrastructural development leads to poverty reduction. Results also show that though infrastructure in general reduces poverty, social infrastructure explains a higher proportion of the forecast error in poverty indicators relative to physical infrastructure. This suggests that massive investment in social infrastructure in cities would drastically reduce poverty in the urban areas.

The Programme of Urban Renewal for Sustainable Urban Development in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges

The Programme of Urban Renewal for Sustainable Urban Development in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges

Local planning and public participation: the case of waterfront redevelopment in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

This paper seeks to access the responsiveness of the technicalities of public participation to the social philosophy and cultural peculiarities of the waterfront communities in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The concept of public participation is defined and the main problems of the study area associated with public participation highligted. An examination of the extent of participation encouraged by planners and the opportunities open to the public for urban development is also made. It is concluded that the problem of participation in government is primarily one of structure, process and values of the governmental system itself. It is after all, the form and content of the consultations which the Government has instigated, their definition of issues and not the attitude of the waterfront residents who do not want to participate. While public participation is a desirable ideal, it frequently cannot tackle issues of major importance decided by higher decision authorities in distance decision making centres. It is recommended that the Port Harcourt City Local Government be involved to coordinate ward and district level urban development plans. The paper ends with some speculations concerning theoretical implications for the distributional bargaining theory of conflict resolution in urban development in Nigeria.

Reviews: Race, Riots and Policing: Lore and Disorder in a Multi-Racist Society: The British Planning System: An Introduction, Urban Development in Nigeria, the Regions and Global Warming: Impacts and Response Strategies, Housing Conditions in Barbados: A Geographical Analysis, Brazil: A New Regional Power in the World-Economy, Transport and Communications Innovation in Europe

Reviews: Race, Riots and Policing: Lore and Disorder in a Multi-Racist Society: The British Planning System: An Introduction, Urban Development in Nigeria, the Regions and Global Warming: Impacts and Response Strategies, Housing Conditions in Barbados: A Geographical Analysis, Brazil: A New Regional Power in the World-Economy, Transport and Communications Innovation in Europe

Book Review: Urban Development in Nigeria

Book Review: Urban Development in Nigeria