The Effect of Land Use Act on Sustainable Housing Development in Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following are the objectives of this study:
- To examine the effect of land use acts on sustainable housing development in Nigeria.
- To investigate the influence of land use act on ease of land access by Nigerians.
- To identify the factors limiting sustainable housing development in Nigeria.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Land use regulations and controls are used to restrict the rights of private land holders in the use of land. The regulations are used to protect public interest in the use of private land. The regulations stem from the need to provide public amenities, to increase the efficiency of land-use, to limit urban sprawl and unnecessary encroachment on agricultural land, and to achieve economies of scale and least-cost production of public services (Courtney, 1983:153). The regulations are also used to ensure the availability of land to all groups, and to ensure that the benefits of development go to the community as a whole.
There are numerous ways through which land use is controlled and regulated. Land-use planning is used in the allocation of space for different purposes in a local, regional, or national setting. Zoning regulations are used to specify permitted land-uses, and to define norms (such as bulk, height, shape, etc.) for the different land-use categories. Subdivision regulations are used to govern the parceling of land for development. The regulations “prescribe standards for lot sizes and lay-out street improvements, procedures for dedicating private land for public purposes, and other requirements in far more detail than in the zoning plan” (Courtney, 1983:160). Building regulations are used to limit or define the way structures may be built or altered. They specify standards relating to materials of construction, and the assembly of buildings.
LAND-USE PLANNING IN NIGERIA
Land is required for various uses in both the urban and rural areas of all society. It is a major factor of production and a vital element in the socio-economic development of any country or society (FMH&UD, 2003). Thus, as the nation grew in size and rural areas become urban centers and urban centers become large metropolitan areas, there is always increased competition as well as demand for land for different purposes. This requires adequate planning and control to ensure harmonious development and functional efficiency of these uses and settlements. According to Aluko (2000), the forms and patterns of distribution of structures in general to promote the good health, accessibility, convenience and harmonious land use in environment are a function, to a considerable extent, of the rights and methods of dealing with land. To achieve this fundamental and acceptable activity, layouts of various land uses such as residential, commercial, industrial, open spaces and recreation, circulation and institutional uses among others are undertaken to standardize and control physical developments and ensure harmonious growth. To ensure adequate provision of these uses and meet the needs of users of urban facilities and services land allocation and space standards are specified.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter deals with the methods or the producers which the researcher employed in the collection of necessary data and information for the collection of necessary date and information for the project work. A research of this kind demands that the research method be relevant and applicable to the study. This is necessary since the finding of the research depends on the quantity and quality of the information gathered.
Research Design
A research design specifics the frame work on which the project is based, it makes sure that the required data is collected accurately.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
This chapter is devoted to the presentation, analysis and interpretation of the data gathered in the course of this study. The data are based on the number of copies of the questionnaire completed and returned by the respondents. The data are presented in tables and the analysis is done using the chi-square test.
CHAPTER FIVE
FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
The objectives of the study were to
- To examine the effect of land use acts on sustainable housing development in Nigeria.
- To investigate the influence of land use act on ease of land access by Nigerians.
- To identify the factors limiting sustainable housing development in Nigeria.
Findings from the study revealed the following:
- Land use act has helped to improve the development of the housing sector.
- Land use act has a significant effect on sustainable housing development in Nigeria.
- Housing problem has to been an issue in Nigeria overtime.
- Effective application of the land use act would not help to ease land access by Nigeria.
RECOMMENDATION
Based on the findings from the study the following recommendation is made:
Land use act is an act that would help development the housing sector that has consistently been a problem in Nigeria due to the population explosion in Nigeria.
REFERENCES
- Afolabi A. (2008). Improving Urban Land Use Planning and Management In Nigeria: The Case Of Akure. Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management, Year 3, Number 9.
- Aluko, O. E. (2000): “Development Control in Nigeria’s New Civil Rule Programme”. Journal of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (JNITP) 13, 78 – 88.
- Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (FMH&UD), (2003). Sustainable Human Settlements Development: National Urban Strategies. Petral Digital Press, Abuja.
- Sadiq E.R. (2011): The Land Use Act Of 1978: Appraisal, Problems and Prospects
- Colonial Office, Report of the West African Lands Committee, 1912, (London: HMSO, 1916) GoN (Government of Nigeria), The Nigeria Handbook, (Lagos: Government Printer, 1953)
