Predictors of inequalities in land ownership among Nigerian households: Implications for sustainable development

The ownership and use of land are increasingly being threatened by rapid urbanization and unsustainable resource consumptions. In Nigeria, the land is faced with enormous pressure from an explosive population of 214 million people that is expected to almost double by 2050 to make Nigeria the third-largest country on Earth. The country’s population density of 232 persons/km2 is fivefold Africa’s average of 43 persons/km2 and the proportion of landed households has declined from 61.2 % in 2008 to 59.6 % in 2018. It is within this context that the Federal Government plans to establish cattle ranches to curb the incessant farmer-herder clashes that cause human and property losses. However, the success of this scheme and other land-use policies partly depends on understanding the extent and distribution of landownership in the country. This article explores the predictors of inequalities in agricultural land ownership among Nigerian households. The results from Chi-square analysis show that the households that own agricultural land are significantly more likely to be poor or middle class (76 %), rural dwellers (74 %), male-headed (86 %), living in northern regions (64 %), and not educated beyond primary school (63 %). Findings from the logistic regression analysis indicate that the significant predictors of agricultural land ownership include ownership of livestock with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.33, place of residence (OR = 2.28), gender (OR = 0.55), wealth index (OR = 0.56), number of bedrooms (OR = 1.44), and educational attainment (OR = 0.96). The paper underscores the implications of the findings on sustainable development, including gender equity, poverty alleviation, and the establishment of cattle ranches.