Assessment of urban regeneration activities in the central area of Jos town, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examines land use changes and urban regeneration activities in the central area of Jos, Nigeria; the processes and forces driving those changes. The central area has been expanding into adjacent streets over the past nearly two decades due to increased pressure for commercial and retail space resulting from the fire incident that burnt the Jos Main Market in February 2002 and increase in the urban population.  The research employed positivist and interpretivist approaches, where qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data.  Land use changes were analyzed from satellite images and maps while questionnaires were administered to property owners and shoppers. The study area covers an area of about 183.37 hectares.  Regeneration activities have increased during the period under study with private-sector-led activities accounting for 668 of a total of 797  properties (about 84% ) and covering an area of 59 hectares (about 41% of the  land area). Though the processes of change are unstoppable, even desirable; these have created a number of problems such as inner city congestion due inadequate parking space, illegal motor parks and the proliferation of commercial activities unto the adjacent streets and pedestrian walkways; inadequate utilities/services; poor waste collection and management practices and a degraded urban environment. Urban regeneration was proceeding in a piecemeal and uncoordinated manner without overall planning vision towards achieving clear socio-economic and environmental objectives and bereft of community values of enhancing public safety and security.