IMPACTS OF URBANIZATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN KADUNA AND ZARIA CITIES OF NORTH – WESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the impacts of urbanization on the quality of the environment in Kaduna and Zaria urban centres. The primary data collection entailed the administration of structured questionnaire to residents of the urban centres. Seven hundred and fifty and two hundred and fifty copies of the questionnaire were administered in Kaduna and Zaria respectively using random sampling technique. Simple descriptive statistics were applied using Microsoft Excel 2003 and Statistical Product and Service Solutions (Formerly Statistical Package for Social Sciences). These were used in the analysis of the questionnaire. The results showed that the impact of urbanization on the quality of the environment in Kaduna and Zaria included air, water and noise pollution, solid waste disposal problems, flooding, erosion, and the development of slum and squatter settlements. It was concluded that the dynamics of urbanization in Kaduna and Zaria had affected the quality of the environment particularly in terms of environmental degradation caused by indiscriminate disposal of solid waste, air, water/noise pollution and slum/squatter settlement. Recommendations were made for sustainable growth and development of the urban centres.