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Impact of Insecure Land Tenure on Sustainable Housing Development: A Case Study of Urban Housing Lands in the Republic of Benin, West Africa

Author

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  • Serge G. N. Ekpodessi

    (Department of Planning, Architecture and Environmental Systems, College of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo 135-8548, Japan)

  • Hitoshi Nakamura

    (Department of Planning, Architecture and Environmental Systems, College of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo 135-8548, Japan)

Abstract

This study focuses on land tenure in an urban environment. Specifically, it intends to elucidate the influence of land tenure security on access to housing in urban communities. The conurbation of Grand Nokoué, which is an agglomeration of five cities in the Republic of Benin, West Africa, captures attention due to its particular features as a developing city. Based on the literature, this study outlined three major factors of insecure land tenure, namely, lack of recognition by authorities, lack of protection from eviction or expulsion, and informal community-based rights. In addition, we examined four characteristics of relevant housing issues, namely, the development of shantytowns, the multiplicity of precarious housing, the loss of housing for the development of public projects, and exposure to house demolition under judicial decision, to formulate our hypotheses. The results of field observation and semi-structured interviews supported the hypotheses and demonstrated that legal access to land, the protection of the population from anarchic eviction, and informal community-based rights may positively influence the development of sustainable urban housing.

Suggested Citation

  • Serge G. N. Ekpodessi & Hitoshi Nakamura, 2023. "Impact of Insecure Land Tenure on Sustainable Housing Development: A Case Study of Urban Housing Lands in the Republic of Benin, West Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-29, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:21:p:15497-:d:1271821
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Holden, Stein & Barrett, Christopher B. & Hagos, Fitsum, 2006. "Food-for-work for poverty reduction and the promotion of sustainable land use: can it work?," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(1), pages 15-38, February.
    2. Alain Durand-Lasserve & Maÿlis Durand-Lasserve & Harris Selod, 2015. "Land Delivery Systems in West African Cities : The Example of Bamako, Mali [Le système d'approvisionnement en terres dans les villes d'Afrique de l'Ouest]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 21613, December.
    3. El-hadj M. Bah & Issa Faye & Zekebweliwai F. Geh, 2018. "Housing Market Dynamics in Africa," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-137-59792-2.
    4. Jurijs Grizans, 2009. "Urban Issues and Solutions in the Context of Sustainable Development - A review of the literature," Working Papers 92/09, University of Southern Denmark, Department of Sociology, Environmental and Business Economics.
    5. Ekpodessi, Serge Gérard N. & Nakamura, Hitoshi, 2018. "Land use and management in Benin Republic: An evaluation of the effectiveness of Land Law 2013-01," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 61-69.
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