Urbanization and Its Social Vices in Nigeria

This scholarly paper examined Urbanization and its Social Vices in Nigeria. Urbanization is a population change from rural to urban areas, and the steady increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas. The interplay of both “Push and Pull†factors at the points of origin and destination stimulates migrations. The push factors, which cause migration, include political fear, unemployment, poor medical facilities etc. Similarly, the pull factors are the desire to better life, job opportunities, improved living conditions, desire for qualitative education, better housing, improved medical care and a good network of roads among several others. Majority of others who migrated from rural to urban areas that have no jobs to do became more impoverished to the point of becoming social misfits otherwise known as area boys and girls. Crimes and insecurity; poverty and unemployment; and environmental problems are social vices of urbanization in Nigeria. Secondary sources of data collection were used for this scholarly paper. Amongst other recommendations it is recommended that, government should give more attention to the social plights of rural dwellers in order to reduce their mass exodus from the rural areas to urban areas.