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Urban environmental problems and planning strategies in Tropical Africa: The example of Nigeria

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Abstract

Although various social and economic problems associated with urban development in Tropical Africa have received considerable attention by social scientists, less attention has been paid to the physical problems. The paper outlines the relationship between urban environmental problems in Tropical Africa and the processes of urban development in the region. The paper shows that the urban environmental problems of Tropical Africa are mainly associated with the process of uncontrolled urban settlement, the poverty of a large proportion of urban dwellers and the discriminatory housing policy of many countries in the region.

With specific reference to Nigeria, the paper characterizes the urban environmental problems of Tropical Africa. These include poor housing quality, bad layout of streets, poor drainage, lack of facilities for solid waste disposal and water pollution. Finally, the paper suggests some strategies for ameliorating the urban environmental problems in Nigeria.

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Onokerhoraye, A.G. Urban environmental problems and planning strategies in Tropical Africa: The example of Nigeria. Ann Reg Sci 10, 24–35 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01303240

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