Urbanization, Urban Poverty, Slum and Sustainable Urban Development in Nigerian Cities: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Urbanization, Urban Poverty and Slum are often connected, and posed major challenges to developed and developing nations alike, but these challenges are more pronounced in developing nations among which Nigeria is not immune. Urbanization has been a major demographic trend in Nigeria and most especially in the major cities across the country in last half of the century because of the relative increase in both social and economic development that is presently resulting in the uncontrolled population growth of Nigerian major cities, some of which are manifesting in the unnecessary pressures on available infrastructure, environmental degeneration, traffic congestion, housing shortages and high level of crimes. Urban Poverty equally posed a great challenge to urban sustainability in Nigeria because most of the poor in the cities suffers social exclusion, unemployment, homelessness, lack paid income and vulnerability to environmental risks and poor health, while the end result of these challenges and manifestations are the growth of slums, squatters settlements, shacks, dirty run down housing that are already becoming permanent structures in major cities of Nigeria. This paper embarks on comprehensive literature review on urbanization, urban poverty, slums and available statistical figures and relates these issues to Lagos, Kano, Port-Harcourt, Onitsha and some other cities in Nigeria, because these are the cities that faces these challenges the more, where there exist housing shortage in quantitative form, environmental pollution, traffic problems, huge pressure on existing infrastructure such as water supply, electricity supply, healthcare facilities, bad roads, high level of criminal activities, kidnapping, high level of unemployment among others and while at the same time, examined the factors responsible for these challenges in the urban centres. However, practicable recommendations are proffered as to the interrelation and opportunities that can be harnessed among these challenging issues, so as to ensure sustainable urban development in Nigeria as a nation.

Keywords: Urbanization, Urban Poverty, Slum Sustainable Development