Role of actors in informal settlements real estate market

Literature suggests that majority of the urban housing in cities of many developing countries is provided in informal settlements through informal housing delivery systems. Due to their clandestine nature, their activities and modes of operation are often not well understood. This paper examines the role played by both the government agencies and other market actors in the functioning and regulation of informal real estate land markets, especially in Lagos, Nigeria. A survey was carried out with the use of questionnaires and interviews. The analysis of the data reveals that there is a thriving property market, which appears to have some form of social regulation. The role of each of the actors, varying from informants, buyers, sellers, financiers, witnesses and government, are discussed. The paper concludes that the thriving informal real estate market needs to be strengthened to effectively cater for the housing needs of urban residents.This paper contributes to discussions on informal real estate markets in developing countries by examining the structure and mechanisms that govern urban real estate markets in informal settlements through a case study of Ayobo community in Lagos, Nigeria, an area where empirical work has been sparse

Learning Environment, Motivation and Self-regulated Learning Among Students in Technical Fields.

The way students perceive their learning environment has been suggested to influence the attitude of students to their learning and their academic performance. The attitude of the students is evident in their displayed motivation and self-regulated learning skills. In this study the influences of the learning environment on students’ motivation and self-regulated learning are investigated. Data for the study were drawn from a questionnaire survey of architecture and engineering students in a University in Nigeria. The number of students that responded to the questionnaires was 343. The findings suggest high influence of the learning environment on students’ motivation and self-regulated learning. The students’ motivation was also found to influence their self-regulated learning. The aspects of the learning environment that influence motivation and self-regulated learning were identified. The findings of the study suggest the importance of confidence inspired in learning environment setting and the need to introduce constraints to motivate and encourage students in this field to self-regulate. Keywords: Architecture, Engineering, Learning Environment, Motivation, Self-regulated learnin

Entrepreneurial characteristics of principal partners of architectural firms in Lagos, Nigeria

Very few studies have investigated entrepreneurial characteristics of principal architects, who venture out on their own, rather than practice under established organizations. The research was done to determine and quantify the entrepreneurial characteristics of the principal partners of architectural firms in Lagos, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey of 92 principal partners of architectural firms in Lagos State, carried out in March 2018 and Questionnaires were used in obtaining the data. Results from the analyzed data showed that there is a correlation between the entrepreneurial characteristics of principal partner and the performance of their firms in that their leadership skill and prowess have a direct influence on their firms. This, however, does not necessarily result in a better outcome in all measures of performance investigated. This is because the two entrepreneurial characteristics only affect the ability of the firms to expand. The recommendation, therefore, is that architecture schools should include leadership training and capacity building programs to produce effective contemporary architects who consequently will lead a successful firm, thus bringing repute to the field of architecture. This research can also be implemented on a large scale in other fields for comparative analysis

Environmental Planning in Mass Housing Schemes: Strategies for Achieving Inclusive and Safe Urban Communities

The layout of plots, arrangement of buildings and management of spaces between buildings in residential neighbourhoods are vital components of the planning and designing of housing schemes. However, there is insufficient empirical evidence on how these environmental planning and architectural design strategies can contribute to security of lives and property in mass housing schemes, especially in a developing country like Nigeria that is confronted with different kinds of security challenges. This chapter presents and discusses the findings of a study conducted to examine the influence of residential neighbourhood planning and design of housing units on the security of lives and property in 12 selected public mass housing estates developed by the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. The data were derived from a household survey involving 1036 residents in different LSDPC housing estates in the Lagos metropolis. The results of the descriptive statistics and content analysis of the data reveal the predominant layout patterns of the estates, the design and construction features of the housing units and spaces, and how these have influenced residents’ perception of security of lives and property in the residential estates. The results also show aspects of neighbourhood planning and design with the most significant influence on security of lives and property in the estates investigated. Moreover, the study identifies areas that need to be strengthened by housing experts, developers, urban designers and managers to ensure that mass housing schemes in rapidly growing cities are secure for residents, thereby contributing to the attainment of goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeri

The influence of location, planning and design features on residents? satisfaction with security in public housing estates in Lagos, Nigeria

Location, planning and design of the built environment are known to have influence on the security of lives and property in residential neighbourhoods. However, there is a limited understanding of the extent to which these aspects contribute to security in public housing environments in a developing country like Nigeria. This study investigated the influence of locational, planning and design features on residents’ perception of security in public housing estates in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. The data used were derived from a questionnaire survey of 1036 residents in 12 Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) housing estates in the study area. Results of the descriptive statistics, factor and regression analyses revealed that the residents were generally satisfied with security of lives and property in the housing estates. Provisions for communal living, layouts of the estates and passive security measures and location of the estates close to neighbourhood facilities and in crime-prone areas of the city contributed most to residents’ perception of security in the estates. This study implies that to enhance security in public housing environments, priority should be given to location, planning and design strategies that promote communal living and residents’ participation in the security of their homes