Search results

Urban crop farming as a variant of urban agriculture is a rising phenomenon in food and income generation especially in the developing countries. It is useful in fresh food supplies, recycling of urban wastes and poverty alleviation. However, as an informal activity, the greatest challenge it faces is accessibility to land. This tends to undermine the numerous contributions it can make to a city's development in terms of social, economic and environmental developments particularly its influence on climate change, fresh air supply and healthy living of the teaming urban population. There is therefore an urgent need to examine the potentials and risks associated with urban crop farming in order to identify factors that can enhance its productivity and economic viability by improving practitioners’ access to land. The purpose of the paper is to do this.

The study therefore conceptualized that land accessibility among urban crop farmers can be predicted from identified constraint variables. Respondents in some locations where urban crop farming was found to be thriving well within the Lagos Metropolis were randomly selected and administered with structured questionnaires.

The data collected were analyzed using factor (principal component) analysis which enabled the construction of a constraints analysis equation or regression equation.

The study identified five constraints affecting land accessibility among urban crop farmers with the most critical factors being affordability and security of tenure.

Crime in public places is an increasing concern for the police, users of public places and the general public at large. Significantly, users of public transport facilities consistently perceive their risks from crime to be considerably higher, hurting levels of patronage. The aim of this study is to examine concerns for personal safety and measures that could improve sense of personal safety in a Nigerian public transport facility. This study further examines whether respondents’ perceptions determine frequent use of this public place. Explanatory factors are personal safety and place improvements concerns ratings.

The study adopted a case study. The selection of this was accomplished using carefully defined criteria in previous studies. The research process consists of three steps the on-site assessment, objective insecurity assessment and subjective insecurity survey. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Quantitative data were explored using mean ranking, percentages and correlation, whereas qualitative information was analysed using narrative techniques of reporting. To define the major determinants of the frequent use of this public place, a multiple ordinary least squares regression was constructed for variables in the correlation model.

Results show that places within the site are not designed to meet crime prevention through environmental design strategies, as 625 crimes were documented with thefts well above other listed crimes. Respondents exhibited a significant level of concern for their safety across all the factors enumerated while the most important improvements concern was enhancements to lighting. Generally, findings suggest that there is still much to be done to improve elements of surveillance, access control, territoriality, image management and activity support on the site. Regression model shows that efforts to enhance perceived safety of users would have major significance on the frequent use of this facility.

Policies on public place developments should be mainly in terms of tackling the environmental design of car parks and the effects of darkness at night time. This should involve improvement of lighting and the installation of CCTV, security camera as well as constant maintenance of bushes, vegetation, plants, trees and other elements of the landscape. Furthermore, the aesthetics of the site has to be attractive to users. The site and its closest surroundings have to be well-maintained and cared for. Besides, place lines and private areas must be defined with plants, pavement treatments, short walls or fences.

Previous studies on safety and security of public transport places, particularly rail facility, have mainly concentrated on the relations between fear of crime, perceived safety and place improvement concerns. To the best of authors’ knowledge, no study till date has explored how they correlate to the patronage of the transport facility, particularly in the sub-Saharan nations. This study contributes to existing literature having revealed perceived personal safety and transport place improvements concerns to be another important dimension of rail transport patronage in the Nigerian context.

While the declining rate of urban security and its potential effects have been globally acknowledged, the ways urban neighborhood security shapes real estate markets in African cities remain largely unexplained. The purpose of this paper therefore is to present the findings from a study of the nexus between urban neighborhood security and home rental prices in Lagos, Nigeria.

This paper is based on the hedonic price theory, an objectively derived urban neighborhood security index (UNSI) and property rental price data in Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria. This is a quantitative cross-sectional study that employs multistage sampling survey procedure. Data are analyzed using descriptive statistics, nonparametric correlation and hedonic price function with ordinary least squares (OLS).

Results show that nearly 50% of the study area is prone to insecurity and average rental values in Ojo, Lagos range from N151329.41 ($302.66) to N167333.33 ($334.67) per annum. Correlation analysis shows that home rental prices have high, positive and significant correlations (rs = 0.725 and p < 0) with UNSI. After controlling for neighborhood and structural factors, it is found that urban neighborhood security positively influences home rental values as a unit improvement in security leads to N81000.00 ($162.00) increase in rental value per annum.

Urban neighborhood security risk threatens residential property values, creates unintended residential mobility and destabilizes families. Findings from this study point to the facts that security is a key component of urban housing values and developers, and real estate investors must ensure that this component is well factored into property design, construction and valuation.

This is perhaps the first study that uses an objectively derived UNSI to study home rental price dynamics in Nigeria. The study extends knowledge on urban housing price determinants and contributes to literature on the crucial place of security in property management.

Recently, frequent occurrence of fire incidences in various building types with devastating effects on human settlements have proliferated and have become of serious concern to Nigeria’s economy. Hence, there is a need to proactively address strategic weaknesses in measures directed at protecting the built environment (BE). The purpose of this paper is to examine stakeholders’ role in the frameworks on disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the context of fire hazards within Lagos metropolis. Analysis is based on findings of research carried out on vulnerability, resilience assessment and guiding principles from three recent frameworks.

Mixed research design was adopted using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. In all, 165 BE professionals in the construction industry, state/federal emergency management and local/national government agencies were randomly selected.

Findings show that stakeholders believe prevention, preparedness and mitigation of disasters are the most important; however, BE professionals in the construction industry do not play active roles in the mitigation of fire risk despite wide publications on guidance for fire hazard mitigation. These stakeholders urgently need to adopt fire hazard mitigation strategies, especially in the pre-construction phase of a building’s life cycle which is identified as the most critical stage in the construction phase.

The paper looked at fire occurrence in Lagos from the perspective of the BE with the view to fill knowledge gaps for adopting fire hazard mitigation strategies.

The findings brought to bear the need for stakeholders, especially BE professionals in the construction industry, to be better involved in DRR as regards fire occurrences.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on households' willingness to pay for electricity consumption and mitigation expenditure due to poor electricity infrastructure as a measure of demand and tariff setting.

In this paper, the demand side management (DSM) approach was adopted in establishing user demand for electricity in the study area.

Based on the high cost (averting expenditure) of providing alternative power supply, households are willing to pay extra for more reliable and regular power supply.

The study is a deviation from the usual command or supply side management approach to infrastructure provision and management.

There is limited research on DSM approach to electricity infrastructure provision in Nigeria. The study will enhance the chances of cost recovery under private‐public partnership arrangement. The paper identifies that a reliable and reasonable priced electricity supply is essential for a developing country.

Valuation for compensation on land and buildings compulsorily acquired for public purposes is statutory. The Land Use Act (LUA) of 1978 now cited as Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, CAP l5 LFN 2007, stipulates the use of Depreciated Replacement Cost (DRC) Method in the valuation for compensation purposes for building and installation. The purpose of this paper is to criticize the application of the DRC technique in the valuation by acquiring authority as it does not arrive at fair market value and adequate compensation in Nigeria.

The method adopted for the study was a case study of real world valuation for compensation. Data used in the study were gathered mainly from government ministries and agencies responsible for land acquisition and compensation purposes. They included the Ministry of Lands and Housing, Land Use and Allocation Committee, and Ministry of Works and Transport. Market data on rental value, sales prices and other relevant data were collected from firms of professional that deal in real property.

The result of the study reveals that valuation by acquiring authority using DRC methods as prescribed by the LUA does not reflect market value and it is inadequate to put the claimants in the position they were before the acquisition. As such, most victims expressed dissatisfaction with the amount paid to them, which sometimes result to crisis, conflict and prolonged litigation, resulting in delay in executing or abandonment of the intended project.

The study is limited to only one case study on acquisition and compensation for land and buildings with particular reference to Akwa Ibom State. This limitation does not invalidate the result as the law is applicable to the whole country.

The implication is that the LUA needs to be review to fair market value as basis of valuation and payment for site value as well as the constitution to add “adequate” to Section 44 (1a). This will reduce the incidence of many communities and land owners protest against the decision of government or its agents to acquire their land for public purposes.

The methodology meets the requirement of the law regarding compulsory land acquisition and compensation in Nigeria: The LUA of 1978. Using three scenarios: the valuation by acquiring authority, claimant’s valuers and independent valuers to illustrate the critique of the methodology, the result shows the inadequacy of compensation.

Female resource represents about half of Nigeria's human resources. For optimal utilization of human resources, gender equality and equity, it was considered that women should be adequately represented in the construction industry which is the prime motivator of the country's economy. A survey was, therefore, conducted to know the level of participation of women in some selected categories of workforce in the industry.

The research was designed to generate quantitative data on women participation in the construction industry in Nigeria. Data were, therefore, collected from medium and large construction contracting companies on the male/female numerical strength in some selected categories of workforce, the suitability of some construction tasks for women and constraints to female entry into the construction industry using questionnaires, interviews and visits to construction sites.

The survey revealed that only 16.3 per cent of the sampled companies' workforces were women. Approximately, 50 per cent of these women were employed as labourers, 37.5 per cent as administrative staff, 10 per cent as management staff and 2.5 per cent as craftswomen. Paired t‐test performed on the male/female numerical strength showed that women were underrepresented in the construction industry in Nigeria. The survey also indicated that women preferred office related construction processes to site production.

Findings in this field survey represent the unbiased level of women's participation in Nigeria's construction industry and the data are useful for policy formulation in relation to mainstreaming female into the construction industry.

Quantitative commentaries in the UK, Australia and other developed economies have generally suggested a high level of valuation accuracy. These important findings need to be developed in other parts of the world to facilitate cross‐border property business transactions which globalization promotes. In countries like Nigeria where the property market and valuation practice are just evolving, the one‐to‐one relationship between valuations and transaction prices observed in more developed economies may not necessarily hold. This paper aims to focus on these issues.

This paper reviews major empirical studies on valuation accuracy with particular reference to the methodology and statistical analyses employed, the results obtained and their limitations. The paper also includes the results of an empirical study on valuation accuracy involving 250 residential properties in metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria. The paper employs error metric and econometric statistical techniques.

The study reveals, among others, that residential property valuation in Lagos metropolis exhibits inaccuracy below industry's acceptable minimum standards.

The credibility problem engendered by inaccurate valuation has far reaching consequences on the relevance and future of the valuation profession in the study area. Greater collaboration between professionals and academia in research, information procurement and analysis, improvement in valuers' task environment, a well articulated and encompassing mandatory national valuation standards incorporating effective enforcement machinery are some of the suggested remedial measures.

The study draws attention to the potentially grave implications of this result on bank solvency and the attendant negative impact on various aspects of the economy.

The purpose of this research is to examine whether valuers consider and interpret intrinsic value elements in a residential property the same way in a familiar location. The price people pay for a complex commodity like residential property is a sum of the utility of various intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics. The skill of the valuer rests in the recognition of value‐enhancing elements in order to arrive at a value for the subject property.

Relevant data for the study were gathered from a controlled‐experiment involving some residential properties and administration of questionnaires backed up with oral interviews on a random sample of 59 valuation firms in metropolitan Lagos, a commercial nerve‐center in the country. The data were analyzed using both descriptive statistics and analysis of variance.

The study showed that there are differences in the means and interpretation of value‐enhancing variables amongst valuation firms sampled. The study, inter alia, concluded that non‐duplicative nature of real estate, differences in the skills and degree of technical competence of the valuation firms including length of practice, absence of a centralized database and lack of valuation practice statements as well as updated guidance notes are the key factors, amongst others, responsible for the variability in the valuers' judgement in the study area.

The paper contributes to the empirical literature in valuation accuracy by establishing the level of interpretative errors in residential property valuations and the key factors responsible for the variability in the valuers' judgement in the study area.

The poor outdoor quality of highly populated third-world cities is a consequence of the misuse of public open spaces as refuse dumps and for informal trading activities. This describes the situation of Lagos metropolis before the present political will that has infused great landscaping transition into the cityscape. However, the challenges of maintenance are germane to the sustainability of these landscape products. The purpose of this paper is to assess the quality and characteristics of the landscapes that have undergone transition and to formulate a framework for maintenance strategies.

The study objectively evaluates the physical qualities of 22 randomly selected sites that have undergone transition through on-site assessment and photographic recording. The management regimes were subjectively studied to appraise the level of their effectiveness and to guide future strategies. This was carried out by collecting the opinions of 130 selected government officials in charge of maintaining the spaces with the aid an interview guide.

Analyses of the data revealed rich values of the landscapes and management strategies in favour of a public-private partnership. It recommends public open space transformation for recreational activities in cities as a vital means of enhancing urban living and city outlooks.

The study concludes with formulation of sustainable management framework for the landscapes and argues in its favour. It thus has policy implications on the maintenance of urban open spaces that have undergone transition in Lagos and Nigeria at large.

The study was carried out in May 2011. Its significance lies in its capacity of enhancing the quality of urban open spaces through appropriate policy formulation of management regimes.