Sustainable urbanism and infrastructural development nexus in Akure, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examines how infrastructural facilities provision has affected the urban development of Akure, Nigeria. The study adopts the survey research design (SRD) method to investigate the nexus with the aid of a structured questionnaire on sampled households, as well as personal interviews, observations and photos to narrate the existing situation. The average number of households in Akure was estimated at 95,232, of which 1 per cent (representing 952 households) were systematically sampled. Findings reveal unguided expansion in the growth of the city and uneven distribution of facilities across the city zones. The irregular population influx and increased urban sprawl experienced in the city has been attributed to the massive provision of infrastructural facilities in the recent past at the expense of rural contiguous settlements. Meanwhile, this uneven distribution of infrastructural facilities has significantly affected their functionality, as well as security, housing and transport systems within the city. To mitigate this, the study suggests a corresponding increase in the provision of facilities in the city and in the hinterlands to curb the incessant rural influx into the city. Also, as the city expands, the facilities need to be increased and maintained for maximum utilisation and functionality.