The Geographical Analysis of Rural Market Location and Distribution in South Western Nigeria

Abstract

Periodic rural market centres play a very important role in the development of rural and urban economy in Nigeria. They are the major source of fresh agriculture products, points of exchange of goods and services, generator of rural employment opportunities, terminal for rural goods transportation and channel for rural good distribution. The understanding of the underlying factors that affect the spatial location and distribution of these markets is very critical to effective formulation of rural and urban economic planning. The paper therefore, analyses the spatial pattern of rural market location and distribution in South Western Nigeria using spatial density index and neighbourhood analysis. It has been observed that accessibility is a major factor of location. In terms of spatial distribution, rural markets are randomly distribution. The analysis of hierarchical distribution however shows that there are three distinct hierarchical orders of rural market in Nigeria. The paper finally recommends that regional ec0onomic planners should consider existing spatial distribution pattern of rural market and find ways of integrating them into regional economic planning in order of enhance the development of rural regional and interregional trade in Nigeria.