The Challenges of Managing Urban Growth and Implication to Real Estate Professionals

1. Introductioncontrol of emissions and waste. All these will create a
The process of urban population growth can bedifficulties in making decision as a lot of home will be
explained in term of natural increase in population,affected and eventually render a lot of people
rural-urban migration and city annexation intohomeless.
surrounding rural areas. Urban city or mega city within 
a country has been a victim of any urbanization1.           
because they offer number of competitiveThe larger the size and scale of a project, the
advantages such as higher wages, education, healthgreater the chance that it will adversely affect the
care, and social cultural attractions, that all result in aenvironment as stated in CEM paper 3001. This is
better quality of life for the poorest members of thevery true if one relate to example of energy city
society as mentioned by Bronwen (2006).being proposed at Badagry in Lagos. The decision of
As much as the opportunities offered by these urbanthe Government on the road expansion scheme and
cities, they simultaneously present urbanto construct a light rail mass transit from Lagos
management challenges such as housing shortages,Mainland to Badagry will be a good economic of scale
inadequate infrastructures, poor urban quality of lifeto reduce the impact of transportation traffic on that
etc.axis. The expressway connecting mainland to
In foregoing discussion references will be made toBadagry is a busy road with a lot of traffic jam there
Nigeria as one of the most populous country inby hindering economic activities in that area.
Africa, and most of these challenges and implication it 
poses for real estate professionals will be analyzed.1. Environmental safeguard
 Land reclamation on most part of Lagos Island has
2.  Concept of Urbanizationbeen described   as likely source of tsunami and
Urbanization as described by Agboola (2006) is aflood for people on Victoria Island; the area is prone
global phenomenon and is a process of specialto flood as a result of split over from the Atlantic.
concentrations of urban populations that is premisedAlso the land reclamation on lagoon can also cause
on some basic push and pulls factors called urbanflooding on southern part of Ikorodu. All these
transformation forces. Agboola classified theseactivities are a serious challenge for environmental
factors into three major processes namely naturalprofessional.
increase in population, rural-urban migration and city 
annexation into the surrounding of rural areas.1. The Tools Available for the Environmental
Most mega cities of the world are experiencingProfession
population explosion and this is due to the reasonThis can be linked to public policy instrument which
that urban cities offer a number of competitiveVendung (1998) defined as the set of techniques by
advantages such as higher wages, education, healthwhich governmental authorities wield their power in
care and social and cultural attractions; all which giveattempting to ensure support and effect or prevent
an improved quality of life for resident and economicsocial change .He classified these instrument into four
growth for countries.categories
Unemployment, dependency relationship, low income1. Regulation
level and inadequate infrastructure on the other hand2. Public ownership and management
are common characteristic of rural area and the3. Incentives
proportional increase in the population of urban4. Informational or educational campaigns.
dwellers is largely due to transformational forces of 
rural-urban migration.1. Regulation of vehicles and transport facilities
Nigeria for example is urbanizing at an astonishingNumber of vehicles in the street can be reduced and
pace with a population of 88.5million as at 1991 andregulated, if the government provide effective mass
by 2006, the population rise to 140million according totransit buses; light rail mass transit, light rail mass
provisional result by National Population Commissiontransit to conveying people from home to their place
Showing an increase of 60% within 16years.Theof work. It has been suggested that if government
country is among those with highest urban growthconstruct a metro line from Lagos to Ibadan, people
rate in the world due to migration from the rural tocan be working in Lagos and residing in Ibadan
urban area as reported by the FGN (2003).thereby reduce congestion in Lagos.
Lagos, the former capital of the country is peculiar 
with this urban population. The city is growing in size1. Public ownership of land through compulsory or
by more than 10 percent per year, which will make itnegotiated acquisitions.
the third largest city in the World by 2020 accordingLand acquisition can be used to serve multiple goals
to DFID (2005) and currently its population stood atand play a significant role in managing urban growth.
18million. The city is Nigeria's financial, commercial andSuch acquisition can be used for roads, sewers,
industrial nerve centre with over 2000 manufacturingwater lines, rail lines. An example is land use Act of
industries and over 200 financial institutions.1978. This law gives power to the state government
According to Fashola (2008) Lagos city alone harborto compulsorily acquire land within their area of
above 60 percent of the Nigeria's total industrialjurisdiction for development in the overall interest of
investment, it accounts for more than 40% of allthe people. It also provide for the payment of
labour emoluments paid in the country.compensation for the existing development on
Fashola further said that statistics put the number ofacquired land. This is what the Lagos state
people per square kilometer in the city of Lagos orgovernment employed for the construction of ring
18:150 with a land area of 738 square kilometers androad from Apapa Warf to link Lagos Ibadan
a population of well 18million. This was compared withexpressway.
Mexico City's land area of 2072 square kilometers 
with 8400 people per square kilometer and New1. Regulated approach
York's population of 17,800,000 and its land area ofLegislation controls over the use and development of
8,683 square kilometer and 2050 people per squareland. This can be done through establishing
kilometer.environmental regulation for development of master
With this analysis, it is quite clear that city of Lagosplan.
has attained a mega city and a lot of challenges will1. This control on the use and development of land as
be faced by the Real Estate professional in managingexist under the town and country planning systems
the menace associating with this over population city.2. Strengthening the administrative management of
 environmental protection and strictly implement the
3  Problem Associated with Managing Urban Growthenvironmental
Urban cities are host to colossal urban management3. Controls on the treatment of waste and disposal
challenges and these mostly affect the developing4. Controls on noise could be put in place to reduce
countries.the level of noise from operations and activities
Lagos city is congested and as a result its affectwithin construction site; traffic on highways.
social infrastructure such as 
1. Housing1. Use of Market Mechanism
2. Water and sewerMarket mechanism can be used to provide clear price
3. Transportationsignals about the cost of using or jeopardizing
4. Infrastructure Facilitiesenvironmental resources. Approaches to the use of
5. Pollutionmarket mechanism can be from the following
 1. Changes to recover administrative costs
1. The implications which real estate professionals are2. Changes to finance pollution control measures
faced with urban change management3. Changes on producers to reflect environmental
The pace and complexity of urban change such thatcost
environmental professional are faced with challenges 
of managing the urban change. This cannot be done1. The Use of Environmental Impact Assessment
with isolated action of Town planning officer alone. It(EIA)
requires synergy and collaborations from all   EIA is a valuable tools use to evaluate the impact
professional stakeholders, ranges from Architect,of new development on the environment as stated
Engineer, Surveyors, Estate surveyors, Landin CEM (2006) paper 2766.
surveyors etc.It is an assessment of the possible impact- positive
The collaboration in this stage according to Williamor negative- that a proposed project may have on
(2000) requires more than information exchange, orthe natural environment. The purpose is to ensure
even collective decision making, it involvesand guide the decision make on whether to proceed
partnerships, mutual trust and undertaking ,it must beon a particular project or not.
seen as a principles that needs conscious practice to 
optimize resources and actions, forming a basis for1. Informational or Educational campaigns
mutual support , and avoiding duplication gap andInformation as a public policy instrument according to
conflict.Vendung (1998), covers government directed
Against the background of change mentioned earlier,attempts at influencing people through transfer of
the implication environmental professional are likelyknowledge, communicator of reasoned argument,
face with could be viewed from the followingand moral suasion in order to achieve a policy result.
perceptive:        In Nigeria, establishing an Environmental
 education and Community Involvement Programme is
Many factors such as commercial viability, proximityenhances through many public agency such as
to lagoon, center of business distinct are alwaysFederal Environmental Planning Agency (FEPA), Kick
taking into consideration in locating a development.against Indiscipline (KAI) in
Some of these locations might be unsuitable orNigeria.               
special foundation design depending on the type of 
soil. It may be a made up land may need removal of 
debus first. The area may be prior to flooding. ThisReferences
will require Government and environment professional 
attention and put in place adequate control andCollege of Estate management (CEM) (2005),
regulation.Managing Urban Change, paper 3001
Many cases of collapsed building in Lagos were as a 
result of lack of adequate control on the part ofCollege of Estate management (CEM) (2002),
Government and negligence of professional in carryingProtecting the Environment, paper 2766
out their duties other reasons areBronwen (2006), Urban Management Challenges in
1. Boycotting  the professionalsMega Cities: A survey of Catastrophic Events in the
2. Contractors cutting corners by using unsuitableDeveloping and Developed world
materials to make more gains 
3. Inadequate foundation designAgboola T. (2006). Sustainable Urbanizations and the
4. Building life span or aging building.New Urban Planning: Dilemma of New Opportunities
5. Layout of a site.and the Challenges for Nigeria Technocratic Planners.
How a development project is paid out can beA paper presented at the 2nd Postgraduate Diploma
important from an environmental point of view asRegular forum lecture series in the department of
stated in CEM paper 3001. Urbanization has resulted inUrban and Regional planning. Rufus Giwa Polytechnic,
many slums development without proper layout. InOwo, 3rd June 2006
1990, Lagos state Government demolished the slum 
of Maroko as a result of the improper layout, theFederal Government of Nigeria (2006): Sustainable
closeness to lagoon, and the impact they have onHuman Settlement Development in Nigeria: National
the immediate environment. Though the decision wasUrban Strategies, Abuja. Federal Ministry of Housing
widely condemned but Maroko today is one of theand Urban Development
high brow area in Lagos. The present Governor of 
the state is planning light rail mass transit route in theDepartment of International Development (DFID)
city to fight the problem of transportation as a result2005: Nigeria by Numbers, Development Magazine, 32:
of teaming population. A lot of house, petrol station8-9
and industries have been built along the standard and 
approved set back. Houses will be demolished andFashola B. (2008). Address delivered by Governor
those with approved plan and adequate documentsFashola of Lagos State at the Maiden annual national
will be compensated while those without will not.conference on public transportation by the Lagos
 Metropolitan area Transport (LAMATA), held at
1. The control of emissionsSheraton Hotel, Ikeja 6th – 8th May 2008
Emission from industrial process and from traffic areWilliams R. (2000) Environmental Planning for
the main source of pollution in the city of LagosSustainable Urban Development:  A paper for
Government is intending to scrap the popularCaribbean Water and Wastewater Association
transport buses called 'Molue' in Lagos and replace itdelivered at 9th Annual Conference & Exhibition
with modern luxury buses. Also, there are measureat Chaguaramas, Trinidad, 2-6 October 2000
to control vehicular emission, the age and state of 
vehicles and discharging illegal roadsides activities.Vedung E.
Industries will now be paying fines and taxes for the