Infrastructure and Societal Restlessness in a Developing Country (A Case of Nigeria)

Abstract

The urban population and areas are growing fast and, consequently, the urban infrastructural facilities have to meet the needs of rapidly increasing users. These problems of inadequate/inefficient infrastructural delivery and societal restlessness are more evident in the developing countries of the world like Nigeria, which include, increased urban poverty, spreading societal restlessness, political crisis, increasing terrorisms, growing insecurity and rising crime rates are the most serious problems confronting cities, towns and its inhabitants in the country (Nigeria), those problems have seriously challenged the capacity of government at all levels and residents in the country. This paper examines some of the challenges of urban infrastructures, problems emanating from societal restlessness of a nation, poverty and sustainable development in Nigeria. Identification of the factors responsible for those problems were thus highlighted for national awareness and policy implementation purposes in achieving sustainable human development. The paper also examines the problems pertaining to infrastructure, societal restlessness and environmental sustainability and their application in Nigerian urban/rural areas. It was discovered that most of the identified problems responsible for low level of infrastructural development and societal restlessness has not been adequately addressed. Therefore, the Nigerian City is far from becoming a united nation as well as a developed nation of the world, which is achievable through Sustainable Development. The paper concludes by recommending some urban planning strategies for achieving sustainable urban development.

Keywords: Infrastructure, Societal Restlessness, Developing Country, Sustainable development, Poverty