Assessment of urban sprawl in Benin metropolis, Nigeria

Urban sprawl is a scattered type of urban growth that alters the layout and shape of urban settlements. It is one of the consequences of extraordinary rapid urbanisation and uncontrolled urban growth that has created significant perils for city governance and natural resource management, particularly in the peri-urban areas. This article assesses the socio-demographic characteristics of peri-urban residents in the study area; investigates the spatio-physical pattern of Benin City, and examines the Compact City Concept (3C) as a mechanism to manage urban sprawl to achieve integrated physical development and a sustainable built environment in Benin Metropolis. A structured questionnaire was developed and administered to selected heads of households in the two hundred and one buildings examined on the outskirts of Benin City using a purposive random sampling technique. The collected data were processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 25) and analysed with Spearman Rho and point-biserial correlation tests, and regression analysis presented in tables. The secondary data were relevant current literature used to supplement the primary data. The findings indicated that the socio-demographic characteristics of the people, insufficient access to the central business district, and deficient transport infrastructure instigated urban sprawl in Benin metropolis. This paper recommends the application of compact city mechanisms like the flexible architectural design for multi-habited buildings, and efficient mass transportation intervention. Land title registration, building design and planning systems, and the use of contemporary remote sensing technologies such as Google Earth, ArcGIS, and Landsat to monitor physical growth were also advocated.