URBAN GROWTH AND HOUSING PROBLEM IN NIGERIA

URBAN GROWTH AND HOUSING PROBLEM IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

Urban growth is the process of accelerated growth in the activities of an area. It includes growth in number of points of population concentration and growth in size of individual settlements, Onokerhoraye (1984).

Historically, there has always been a drift of people from the rural areas, and small towns into cities. The main attraction being job opportunities, job transfer, better living standards or the desire of changing environment and so on, Adekoya (1981).

However, it is very germane to mention here that there is nothing distinctive about the movement, but becomes significant only when it has an impact on the social and economic organization of the community.

Urban growth being a process of accelerated growth and development is reflected in the increase of secondary and tertiary activities as well as spatial expansion of the city Adekoya (1981).

The instantaneous intensification of urban population in Nigeria has brought with it many teething troubles which are associated with the provision of basic infrastructure such as electricity, inter-urban and intra-urban transportation routes and facilities, communications services and the glitches of providing medical, institutional, educational and