Spatial Variation of Factors Influencing Neighbourhood Change in the Peri-Urban Areas of Minna, Niger State.

Abstract

As residential location choices are dependent on a wide range of housing and location attributes, the search for residential location has been a recurring challenge to urban dwellers. This study examined the spatial variation of factors that influenced neighbourhood change in fourteen peri-urban neighbourhoods of Minna. The data for this study were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were generated from the peri-urban residents through questionnaire administration. The systematic random sampling technique was employed in the selection of 825 respondents. For the secondary data, the neighbourhood demarcation map was used to determine the variation of factors influencing residents’ change of neighbourhoods in the peri-urban areas. The study revealed eight important factors that influenced residents’ decision to change the place where they lived and these vary across the entire neighbourhoods. These factors are availability of community facilities (roads and electricity and water supply) (0.68); security of the neighbourhood (0.67); proximity to place of work (0.65); proximity to the city centre (0.63); shift in rental tenure to home ownership (0.62); low housing rent (0.62); reduction in the value and/or price of land (0.59); and availability of private and/or personal means of transportation (0.58). The study concluded that: proximity to places of work and availability of community facilities are two major factors influencing residents’ mobility Minna peri-urban neighbourhoods. The study recommended rehabilitation of dilapidated infrastructure and provision of new one to ensure sustainable peri-urban development.