CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Urban areas are important centres of population, employment, commerce, public administration and social interaction. As cities expand, they attract people and investment, but this growth also increases pressure on land, housing, transport, sanitation, public infrastructure and environmental services. Where urban growth is not matched by effective planning and maintenance, the result may include congestion, poorly managed waste, unregulated development, inadequate open spaces and declining environmental quality. Sustainable urban development therefore requires more than the construction of buildings and roads; it also involves the creation and maintenance of safe, accessible, functional and visually appealing places for residents and businesses (UN-Habitat, 2022).

Urban beautification is one approach used by governments and communities to improve the appearance and usability of urban environments. It may involve planting and maintaining trees and ornamental vegetation, landscaping road medians, improving parks and public squares, providing pedestrian walkways, installing street lighting, managing solid waste, improving drainage, rehabilitating streets and restoring neglected public spaces. These interventions can contribute to environmental quality and urban liveability when they are properly designed, maintained and connected to wider planning objectives. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11 similarly emphasizes inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable settlements, including access to public spaces and improved urban environmental conditions (United Nations Statistics Division, 2024).

Nevertheless, the success of beautification cannot be measured by appearance alone. The way projects are planned, located, maintained and experienced by residents also matters. A renovated road or landscaped public space may improve movement and the visual quality of an area, while demolition of roadside stalls, kiosks or other structures may interrupt livelihoods and displace people who depend on those locations for trade. Urban improvement programmes can therefore generate both perceived benefits and social costs. Recent research on urban renewal in African cities highlights how redevelopment can improve infrastructure while also producing conflict over access to urban space, especially for low-income residents and informal traders (Omoegun, 2025).

This issue is particularly relevant in Nigeria, where urban authorities often have to balance development control, infrastructure provision, environmental management and the needs of residents whose livelihoods depend on informal economic activities. Urban planning interventions may seek to address encroachment, poor sanitation, unsafe structures, traffic obstruction and the deterioration of public spaces. However, where enforcement is not accompanied by consultation, transparent procedures and practical support for affected people, the same interventions may be perceived as unfair or damaging. A 2025 study of urban renewal perceptions in Enugu City, for example, reported that residents associated renewal with improved infrastructure but also expressed concerns about displacement, rising costs and social equity. The study recommended stronger community participation in planning and implementation (Mba et al., 2025).

Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, has experienced urban expansion and increasing demand for land, roads, public infrastructure and environmental services. The Ekiti State Government identifies Ado-Ekiti as the state headquarters and describes it as a major administrative centre in the state (Ekiti State Government, n.d.). Research using remote-sensing and geographic information system techniques has also documented substantial changes in land use and an increase in built-up areas in Ado-Ekiti over time, demonstrating the continuing pressure of urban growth on the physical environment (Ogunlade et al., 2024). Such changes make the planning, upgrading and maintenance of public spaces important issues for the city.

Urban renewal and beautification initiatives in Ado-Ekiti have been associated with measures such as road improvements, drainage, street lighting, landscaping, waste management and the removal or relocation of structures considered to obstruct approved land uses. The consequences of such interventions may differ among residents, shop owners, street traders, motorists, pedestrians and public officials. Some people may value improved access, cleanliness, safety and visual appearance, while others may be concerned about the loss of trading locations, damage to property, disruption of income or inadequate consultation.

Evidence from Ado-Ekiti is particularly useful for examining these competing experiences. Yoade, Adeyemi and Adeyemi (2020) assessed urban renewal implementation and its socioeconomic effects in the city and found that residents held differing views about renewal approaches. More recent research on green infrastructure across Abeokuta, Osogbo and Ado-Ekiti found that residents attached importance to green infrastructure but reported lower satisfaction with its condition and provision than the importance they assigned to it (Atoyebi & Yoade, 2025). These findings suggest that the existence of an improvement programme does not automatically guarantee public satisfaction; residents’ experiences, the quality of facilities and the distribution of benefits are also important.

Against this background, this study examines the perception of urban beautification programmes in Ado-Ekiti. It considers the forms and locations of beautification projects, residents’ views of the interventions, the structures affected by implementation and the implications for the livelihoods of urban inhabitants. Understanding these issues can help establish whether beautification is perceived mainly as an environmental and infrastructural improvement, a source of socioeconomic disruption, or a combination of both.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Urban centres face planning and environmental challenges associated with rapid population growth, changing land uses, inadequate infrastructure, poor waste management and the development of buildings or trading structures in locations that may conflict with approved planning requirements. Where these issues are not managed effectively, they can affect road access, drainage, pedestrian movement, public safety, sanitation and the overall quality of the urban environment. In response, authorities may introduce beautification and renewal projects intended to improve public spaces and bring development into closer conformity with planning standards.

However, urban beautification can also create social and economic difficulties when the implementation process involves demolishing, removing or relocating structures used for residential, commercial or livelihood purposes. Street traders and small business operators may lose access to established customers and trading locations, while property owners and occupants may face costs associated with demolition, relocation or rebuilding. Studies of urban displacement in Nigeria show that renewal policies can have unequal effects on informal traders and low-income urban groups, particularly when decisions about public space are made without sufficient consideration of their circumstances (Omoegun, 2025).

In Ado-Ekiti, the central issue is not simply whether beautification projects have improved the physical appearance of selected locations, but also how residents evaluate these changes and how the projects affect their everyday activities. Although earlier research has considered urban renewal and its socioeconomic implications in the city, there remains a need to examine the specific perception of beautification programmes alongside their locations, forms, effects on structures and implications for livelihoods. Research on green infrastructure in Ado-Ekiti and other southwestern Nigerian cities also indicates that residents’ satisfaction can differ from the importance they attach to environmental facilities (Atoyebi & Yoade, 2025).

Without evidence about residents’ perceptions and experiences, it may be difficult for policymakers to determine whether the programmes respond adequately to local needs or whether implementation creates avoidable hardship for particular groups. This study therefore investigates urban beautification programmes in Ado-Ekiti, focusing on their forms and locations, public perception and effects on the livelihoods of inhabitants.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of this study is to assess residents’ perception of urban beautification programmes in Ado-Ekiti.

The specific objectives are to:

1. assess the urban beautification programmes implemented in Ado-Ekiti;

2. examine the perceptions of Ado-Ekiti residents concerning the urban beautification programmes; and

3. examine the effects of urban beautification programmes on the livelihoods of inhabitants of the study area.

1.4 Research Questions

The study is guided by the following research questions:

1. Where are urban beautification projects located across the study area?

2. What forms of urban beautification have been implemented in Ado-Ekiti?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant because it considers urban beautification not only as a physical planning activity but also as an intervention experienced by people who live, work and conduct business in the city. Its findings may contribute to a clearer understanding of the benefits and challenges associated with beautification programmes in Ado-Ekiti.

For government agencies and urban planners, the study may provide information on residents’ assessments of the location, condition and usefulness of beautification projects. Such evidence may assist in improving project selection, maintenance, consultation and implementation. It may also help authorities identify where physical improvements need to be balanced with measures that reduce avoidable disruption to traders, property users and other affected groups.

For residents, traders and business operators, the study provides a means of bringing attention to the experiences and concerns that can accompany urban improvement programmes. By examining both perceived benefits and livelihood-related effects, it may encourage a more balanced discussion of how urban spaces can be improved while taking account of the people who use them.

For researchers and students in urban and regional planning, geography, environmental management and related disciplines, the study may serve as a reference for further work on urban beautification, public perception, green infrastructure, urban renewal and livelihood security. It may also contribute local evidence to wider discussions about inclusive and sustainable urban development.

1.6 The Study Area

The study is located in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State in southwestern Nigeria. Ado-Ekiti is both an urban settlement and the administrative headquarters of Ado-Ekiti Local Government Area. The Ekiti State Government records that the town became the state headquarters following the creation of Ekiti State in 1996 and describes Ado-Ekiti as a major administrative centre (Ekiti State Government, n.d.). Its administrative role has contributed to the concentration of public institutions, commercial activities, residential development and transport connections in the city.

Ado-Ekiti lies within the tropical climatic zone and has distinct rainy and dry seasons. The wider state is characterized by an undulating landscape and prominent hills, features that influence settlement patterns and the physical environment (Ekiti State Government, n.d.). For population figures, the Ekiti State Bureau of Statistics’ 2023 population projections provide a total projected population of 654,464 for Ado Local Government Area, including urban and rural components. This is a projection rather than a new population census count and should be interpreted accordingly (Ekiti State Bureau of Statistics, 2023).

Recent spatial research demonstrates the dynamic nature of the city’s physical development. Ogunlade et al. (2024) examined land-use and land-cover changes in Ado-Ekiti between 1985 and 2021 and reported a substantial increase in built-up areas over the period studied. Such urban expansion increases the importance of coordinated land-use planning, environmental management and the provision and maintenance of public infrastructure.

Ado-Ekiti is an appropriate setting for the present study because urban beautification and renewal involve the relationship between the physical appearance of the city and the activities of the people who use its streets, commercial areas and public spaces. Improvements to roads, drainage, lighting, landscaping and waste management may affect mobility, environmental quality and the attractiveness of urban locations. At the same time, changes to roadside and other structures may influence where residents trade, work or access services. Examining the perceptions of inhabitants can therefore help explain how beautification projects are understood and how their benefits and costs may be distributed within the study area.

References

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Ekiti State Government. (n.d.). Ado-Ekiti. https://www.ekitistate.gov.ng/about-ekiti/local-government/ado-ekiti

Mba, E. J., Ozigbo, I. W., Oforji, P. I., Ozigbo, C. A., Onyia, C. D. F., Ogbuefi, P. C., Ezema, E. C., et al. (2025). Perceptions of urban renewal activities in Enugu City Nigeria. Asian Journal of Environment & Ecology, 24(5), 311–325. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajee/2025/v24i5713

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Omoegun, A. (2025). The limits of collective resistance to urban renewal: The governance of urban displacements in Lagos, Nigeria. Urban Geography, 46(6), 1361–1383. https://doi.org/10.1080/02723638.2025.2473855

United Nations Statistics Division. (2024). The Sustainable Development Goals report 2024: Goal 11—Sustainable cities and communities. United Nations. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2024/Goal-11/

UN-Habitat. (2022). World cities report 2022: Envisaging the future of cities. United Nations Human Settlements Programme. https://unhabitat.org/world-cities-report-2022-envisaging-the-future-of-cities

Xia, J., Zhao, Z., Chen, L., & Sun, Y. (2024). How urban renewal affects the sustainable development of public spaces: Trends, challenges, and opportunities. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 12, Article 1482169. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1482169

Yoade, A. O., Adeyemi, O. O., & Adeyemi, B. A. (2020). Assessment of urban renewal projects implementation and its socio-economic impacts in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal, 14(1), 98–116.