Urban renewal in Nigeria: case study of Lagos state

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1 Journal of Environmental Science and Water Resources ISSN Vol. 3(7), pp , August Wudpecker Journals Urban renewal in Nigeria: case study of Lagos state *Njoku C. and Okoro G.C. Department of Soil Science and Environmental Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria. *Corresponding author Accepted 15 July 2014 The problems of urban centres in Nigeria as reviewed are that most of them are disorganized, overcrowded, declined, dilapidated and blighted areas and with developed slums. These urban slums are characterised by deplorable living conditions with poor land use planning, inadequate social services, coupled with high levels of communicable diseases, and exposure to fire outbreaks, floods and violence. Slums in Nigeria increases yearly, for instance 42 slums were discovered in Lagos in 1981 which have risen to more than 100 now. Slums in Nigeria are being caused by rapid urbanization, poverty, inadequate urban housing supply, lack of enforcement of urban development and management regulations by city authorities, lack of repairs and housing maintenance. These slums need to be transformed by demolishing old structures, renovating and building new and modern structures and infrastructures that redefine the areas. The problems of these transformations are site assembly, relocation and viability. In order to have a successful urban renewal, environmental impact assessment of the area to be regenerated must be carried out taken the original resident and the environment of the neighbourhood into account. Key words: Land-use, slum, transformation and urban. INTRODUCTION Urban renewal can be traced back to the earliest days of urban development, and was noted by those who witnessed the overcrowded conditions of 19 th century in London, New York, Paris and other major cities of the developed world affected by the industrial revolution (Holcomb and Beauregard, 1981). This is a programme of land development in areas of moderate to high density urban land use and has had both successes and failures (Nelson, 1988). It involves the relocation of businesses, the demolition of structures, the relocation of people, and the use of eminent domain as a legal instrument to take private property for city-initiated development projects. This process when carried out in rural areas is referred to as village renewal, though may not be exactly the same in practice (Chigbu, 2012). Urban renewal is a process where by a neighbourhood in or near an urban area is transformed by demolishing old structures, renovating or building some structures, building new and modern structures and infrastructures that redefine the neighbourhoods. Agbola (1987) on the other hand defined urban renewal as a relatively comprehensive community redevelopment programme through which a particular city seeks to re-fashion and rebuild the physical structures of a particular segment of the city in order to enable it to cope more successfully with the problems confronting it. The components of urban renewal include city expansion, redevelopment, comprehensive road development, redesigning and beautification of settlement layout, upgrading of facilities and public goods and services, repair, construction and silting of drainage system within an urban centre, and enforcing slum upgrading and city development. Although, most towns in Nigeria are experiencing these urban renewal components but the rates of increase in urbanization and poverty are militating against these developments. This work reviewed urbanization in; causes and characteristics of slums, aims and principles of urban renewal; benefits of urban renewal and problems of urban renewal in Lagos Nigeria. Urbanization in Lagos Nigeria The urbanization process in Lagos has not been accompanied with a corresponding supply of adequate housing, basic infrastructures and amenities. This has given birth to the development of informal settlements

2 145 J. Environ. Sci. Water Resources and slums. The problem of urban centres in Nigeria is that most of them are grown and unplanned. Consequently, this has led to the development of disorganized, overcrowded, declined, dilapidated and blighted areas and then slums in our cities. Urban slums are characterised by deplorable living conditions with poor land use planning, inadequate social services, coupled with high levels of communicable diseases, and exposure to fire outbreaks, floods and violence (Agyarko- Oduro, 2009; Butala et al., 2010). The deterioration of Nigerian urban centres has been a process, not a willful act that may be corrected on command or legislation. The reality in the big cities in Nigeria such as Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Aba and Enugu presents a number of problems that are worth mentioning. These include urban decay, slum, overcrowding and lawlessness which lead to the loss of land and natural resources. The basis of the urban crisis lies in the dimensions and expansion of the large cities where these problems become even more severe. For instance 42 slum communities were identified in Lagos metropolis in 1981 by a World Bank Urban Renewal Project (Adelekan, 2004). The number of slums in Lagos is now estimated to have increased to about 100 due to the inadequacy of private public institutions to provide housing to the increasing population. CAUSES OF URBAN SLUMS Rapid rate of urbanisation resulting from rural-urban migration is a major contributing factor to slum development in developing countries (UNCHS, 2003; 1986). Due to the unsustainable planning and management, immigrants tend to congregate and seek accommodation from less desirable areas of the city. Most slums in cities of developing countries including Lagos in Nigeria, Bogota in Colombia and Cairo in Egypt resulted from rapid population increase without a corresponding housing and social services provision (Jerome, 1990; UNCHS, 2003). Another cause of the formation and existence of slums in developing countries is poverty (Hari, 2006). Poverty and housing deficit in rapidly growing cities are reasons for emergence of slums (World Bank, 2002). The meagre and unsteady incomes compel slum dwellers to poor housing with inadequate supporting social services. As a result of the inefficient urban planning and management system especially in the areas of basic social services provision and employment and income generating activities, slum dwellers find it difficult to enjoy a decent living since they cannot afford high rent. Inadequate urban housing supply coupled with increasing demand for housing in many developing countries propels the formation of slum (Durand- Lasserve, 1996). This situation has relegated many city dwellers to slums due to inadequate low cost and decent housing provision. A study by Durand-Lasserve (1996) in Zambia revealed that the slums of Lusaka owe their origins to the city authorities neglect of providing low-cost public housing and concentration on short-sighted and unsustainable urban and housing policies, both during colonial and post independence times. Moreover, the absence of sufficient public housing caused a series of housing crises and an increased growth of unauthorized settlements in the urban areas. Lack of enforcement of urban development and management regulations by city authorities have resulted in slum formation. Most city authorities in Nigeria are overwhelmed by the rapid development of slums and the spread of informal settlements that their regulatory interventions are either too late or have failed to make any impact. Thus development control measures in Africa are often unable to direct and manage urban development due to non-compliance of building laws by developers (Waugh, 2005). Accordingly, decent localities of urban areas experience slum formation when sustainable and preventive measures are delayed (Hiraskar, 1993). Lack of repairs and housing maintenance also causes slum formation which is often ignored especially in developing countries such as Nigeria. According to Hiraskar (1993) regular maintenance of old buildings in urban areas can be a major remedy to slum formation. However, issues of repairs and maintenance are foreign to Nigeria causing rapid decay and deterioration of buildings which affects the sustainability of the urban environment and consequently leads to slum development. Therefore, tenants, landlords and government have a role to play in repair and recovering urban slums. CHARACTERISTICS OF NIGERIAN SLUMS These Slums are usually characterised by urban decay, high rates of poverty and unemployment. As indicated by Srinivas (1991), many slum dwellers employ themselves in the informal economy usually with low incomes. These include street vending, drug dealing, domestic work and other forms of home based economic activities. As a result, slums are identified as breeding grounds for social problems such as crime, drug addiction, alcoholism, high rates of mental illness and suicide. They are also characterised by high rates of diseases due to insanitary conditions, malnutrition, and lack of basic health care services (Abrams, 1966). Slums are manifested by poor physical and environmental features such as poor housing conditions, poor road conditions and networks, poor drainage facilities, and environmental pollution. The physical conditions of slums are manifested by dilapidated buildings and structures, overcrowding of people and structures with limited

3 Njoku and Okoro 146 access to basic social services such as water and electricity (Rangwala, 2002). The plight of slum dwellers is worsened by the increasing difficulties in gaining access to affordable land (Rasna, 2003), which makes them resort to squatting and illegal occupation of unauthorized lands (nature reserves, access roads and areas liable to floods). This situation does not only threaten human habitation, but the ecological environment also. Socially, slum dwellers in Nigeria are largely poor migrants and economic adventurers from neighbouring villages or countries in search of better economic opportunities. For example, Waugh (1995) describes slums in Singapore as unplanned zone within the city providing shelter for immigrants from neighbouring Asian countries. Again, slums are identified with low incomes, absence of occupational skills and qualifications, and poor housing. Hari (2006) argues that the increasing trend of rural-urban migration is making poverty more urbanized, and this increases the risk of homelessness especially among slum dwellers in developing countries. Slum dwellers are often minority and voiceless groups in urban areas. The interactions between poverty and insecure tenure in urban slums contribute to further deterioration of the economic situation of slum dwellers, leading to a vicious cycle whereby poverty leads to slum development and it in turn breeds more poverty (Hari, 2006). Despite, the unsustainable nature of slum communities, some writers, development organizations argue that slums tend to have very complex social relationship, as there is a friendly, intimate and close-knit community, reminiscent of that which exists in small towns and rural areas (Durand-Lasserve, 1996; Jerome, 1990;UNCHS, 2003). Aims of urban renewal The aims of urban renewal in Nigeria are as listed below: (a) Improvements of urban environment and infrastructure by the provision of more open space, community and other facilities. (b) Improvements of urban layouts, road networks and other infrastructure. (c) The replacement or renovation of obsolete buildings. (d) Thinning out of development and population densities to reduce the strain on overburdened transport and other infrastructure. (e) Making land available to meet various uses such as housing, industrial, commercial, tourism and transportation. (f) Redeveloping a particular area in order to act as a catalyst for the redevelopment of neighbouring areas by private developers. PRINCIPLES/METHODS OF URBAN RENEWAL According to Miller (1959) three principles/methods of urban renewal are: Redevelopment This consists of the removal of existing buildings and the re-use of cleared land for the implementation of new projects. Redevelopment leads to the destruction of badly needed housing units and it does not prevent slums from reappearing in other parts of the city. It also contributes to the impoverishment of the original residents by reduction of job opportunities, as resettlement areas are usually located outside of the city proper (Mirbod, 1984). This approach is applicable to areas in which buildings are in seriously deteriorated condition and have no preservation value, or in which the arrangement of buildings are such that the area cannot provide satisfactory living conditions. In such cases, demolition and reconstruction, of whole blocks or of small sections, is often thought to be the only solution to ensure future comfort and safety of the residents. Rehabilitation Rehabilitation, often termed conservation or preservation, is based on preserving, repairing, and restoring the natural and man-made environments of existing neighborhoods. It is applicable to areas where buildings are generally in structurally sound condition but have deteriorated because of neglected maintenance. It takes advantage of the existing housing stock as a valuable resource and adapts old houses to present day life and acceptable standards by providing modern facilities (Zhu, 1989). Rehabilitation recognizes that the limited availability of funds for new construction and the serious housing shortage make the option of destroying already-existing housing appear both unaffordable and imprudent. It recognizes the value of old neighbourhoods and, by preserving what is unique, ancient, and specifically local, it can also contribute to the development of the tourism, industry and stimulate the economy. However, many people do not consider rehabilitation to be a realistic approach because of the technical difficulties and the amount of work and research involved. Rehabilitation is often perceived as a complex and time-consuming process which is more difficult to implement than redevelopment. It requires a high degree of social organization and social responsibility, as well as a total reorganization of the housing process. Integration The method of urban renewal referred to as integration,

4 147 J. Environ. Sci. Water Resources views rehabilitation and redevelopment as complementary forces and combines the best aspects of both approaches. It consists of rehabilitation of what can realistically be saved, combined with reconstruction of new buildings in place of those beyond the reach of feasible rehabilitation (Yu, 1988). Integration is considered today to be the most acceptable way to regenerate old neighbourhoods. It allows for flexible project implementation which can preserve the traditional urban environment and its human scale while achieving respectable densities. It respects the social order of the community by rehousing the majority of the original residents on the site and invites mass participation. Integration results in the creation of rich environments through the integration of new buildings within the existing neighborhoods and allows for the development of a new form of contemporary architecture with local characteristics, enriching the appearance of the old city while maintaining its identity. BENEFITS OF URBAN RENEWAL These are as enumerated below: i. It improves quality of life in the city; ii. It may increase density and reduce sprawl; iii. It improves the global economic competitiveness of a city centre; iv. It improves cultural and social amenity and v. It may also improve opportunities for safety and surveillance (Olawepo, 2010; Yu, 1988). PROBLEMS OF URBAN RENEWAL The three basic problems in urban renewal are (PELB, 1995): Site assembly The process of assembling small lots and individual properties in multiple-ownership into larger lots capable of comprehensive redevelopment. The site assembly problem results from the fact that units in many multistorey buildings are in separate ownership, so that anyone wishing to redevelop has to acquire many separate legal interests. Even if he succeeds in acquiring the majority of such interests but fails to acquire the last one, the whole scheme may fail. In such circumstances, large scale redevelopment becomes difficult and financially risky. Relocation The problem of relocating tenants in rented accommodation in old buildings is in many ways one of the most difficult aspects of urban renewal. Owners may sell their properties to the developer at a price with which they are satisfied, often after difficult and protracted negotiations. Developers who acquire properties must therefore negotiate with the tenants to obtain vacant possession. While a minimum compensation is payable under the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance (LTO) and most developers pay over the minimum to obtain a smooth clearance, tenants often find it difficult to find replacement accommodation at rents comparable to the ones they have been paying. As old buildings are redeveloped and rents rise, there is less low-cost accommodation available and low-income tenants may be forced out of the urban areas, causing hardship in many cases, as people have to move away from family, community and employment. Viability The value of the redeveloped properties is not always sufficient to cover the costs of acquiring existing properties, relocation and development. The viability problem increases as fewer low-rise areas remain to be redeveloped and attention focuses on medium-rise properties. The costs of acquiring such properties and relocating residents are higher, while the development gains from redevelopment are less. There are large areas where urban renewal is needed now but where the development potential is insufficient to cover the cost (much less generate a profit) because of the need to reduce development densities. Change to a more valuable land use (e.g. from residential to commercial) and upgrading of the quality of accommodation may help to make projects more viable in some cases. However, such changes, if applied widely, mean the replacement of large numbers of affordable urban area flats with commercial property or more expensive flats. CONCLUSION Urban renewal always involved demolition of slum housing and construction of better and more costly ones. This leads to displacement and eviction of low-income residents because the costs and improvements made to the neighbourhoods increased rental rate which the original residents may be unable to pay. Consequently, environmental impact assessment of areas to be renewed must be carried out taken the original resident and the environment of the neighbourhood into account. REFERENCES Abrams C (1966). Squatter Settlements: The Problem

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