URBANIZATION PHENOMENON IN KANO STATE METROPOLITAN: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN GROWTH

Abstract

Abstract

Kano State Metropolitan in the northern region of Nigeria faces rapid and mostly spontaneous urbanization, which has become one of the greatest developmental issues there. In this paper, the authors will be looking at the urbanization phenomenon in Kano along four key dimensions namely population growth, level of urbanization, economic development and changes in land use. The research will be performed with a qualitative-descriptive methodology, and it will be based on a secondary analysis of data and review of literature that will enable the study of the specifics of the urban growth in the region. According to the findings, population growth which has been caused by high rural-urban migration, as well as natural growth, has exerted huge pressure on the housing and the infrastructure that provides government services. Although the extent of urbanization has been on the increase, it did not come along with sufficient infrastructure and planned control. On the economic front, Kano continues to host one of the main regional hubs, but its economic development is curtailed by informal economic framework, juvenile unemployment. Besides, irregular conversion of land use is one of the reasons that have led to environmental degradation, loss of agricultural land, as well as the prevalence of urban sprawl. In order to manage these obstacles, a Smart Growth approach will be proposed in the study, the portion of the study will take place in the urban core, which requires changes in slum upgrading, transportations, and the empowerment of the local business, and the suburbs will be approached with long-lasting management through urban growth boundaries and affordable housing development. These findings are important because they inform in-depth urban planning frameworks that can be used to become inclusive, resilient and sustainable urban development in Kano State Metropolitan.

Keywords: population development, the degree of urbanization, economic evolution, land use modifications, smart growth, Kano Metropolitan