Growth and Challenges of Urban Sprawl in Suleja, Niger State.

Abstract

This paper aimed at examining the growth and challenges of urban sprawl in four selected peri-urban neighbourhoods of Suleja: Maje, Paulossa, Chassa and Gwazunnu. The objectives are to: examine the pattern of development; determine the factors responsible for the spread; and analyze the challenges of urban sprawl development. The data employed were from primary and secondary sources. The primary data were sourced from questionnaire administration. A systematic random sampling method was used in the selection of 320 respondents in these four neighbourhoods. The questionnaire was analyzed using descriptive method The Google earth image maps of the neighbourhoods were downloaded and geo-referenced using ArcGIS software 10.2. The study revealed that the peri-urban areas exhibited different characteristics of urban sprawl; the proximity of the town to Abuja (64.3%), ethnicity and religion (56.5%), displacement (91.6%) strongly influenced the pattern of peri-urban development, while the challenges of peri-urban areas showed insecurity of tenure (87%), accessibility to community facilities (98.4%), lack of infrastructure (98.4%), and poor physical planning (100%). Thus, the suburbs of Suleja are increasingly spreading, therefore, participatory planning approach and refurbishment of facilities and development of comprehensive land use planning which are required for effective monitoring of development.