Socio-Economic Impacts of Farin Ruwa Waterfall Ecotourism Development in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Tourism is a global scale industry with growing impact on the environment which provides new opportunities, when giving attention and developed can generate substantial economic benefits to a nation. Farin Ruwa waterfall has great ecotourism potentials that will contribute more to the socio-economic welfare of the inhabitants and the State but is yet to be fully developed. This study seeks to assess the socio-economic impacts of the waterfall on Farin Ruwa areas in Nasarawa State and examine the problems with the development of the area as attraction centre. Two communities were selected for this study with 3601 projected population from 1991 census to 2021. Yamane’s formula was used and sample size of 280 was drawn from Marhai community which constitute 107 sampled respondents and Massenge community which constitute 173 sampled respondents for the study. The descriptive survey research design was used for the study. Data were collected on a 5- point lykert scale through questionnaire administration in the area. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Chi- square statistical tool was used in testing the hypothesis formulated while mean ranking method was used to find out the level of impacts. Findings from the study revealed that tourism will bring about positive socio-economic development to the area with 57% representing respondents that agreed to that while on the negative impacts, 54% agreed that tourism development bring negative impacts on the study area. The result of the first hypothesis tested showed that the calculated Chi-Square value of 86.318 was greater than the table value of 36.415, therefore, there is significant positive impact of tourism on the socio-economic development of the area while the second hypothesis shows that the calculated Chi-Square value of 11.651 was less than the table value of 36.415, therefore, there is no significant negative impact on the socio-economic development of area. The results of the mean ranking shows that economic growth and poverty reduction ranked first as the positive impacts of ecotourism development. The study also reveals the poor state of infrastructures and services provided in the areas such as roads, electricity supply and water supply at the site. The study recommends that Government, individuals and corporate organizations such as NGOs should take active part in the development of Farin Ruwa ecotourism to stimulate infrastructural development. Public-private partnership should be adopted for development and management of the ecotourism. Finally, Ministry of culture and tourism should provide the site with tourism facilities as well as making the centre a film village resort.