Determinants of Livability and Social Equity in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods of Southwestern Nigeria

Oluwaseun Opeyemi Asani; Aina Thompson Adeboyejo; David Oyinlade Adejumobi; Maimuna Orire Abduraheem

doi:doi:10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13

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Determinants of Livability and Social Equity in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods of Southwestern Nigeria

Oluwaseun Opeyemi Asani^*

, Aina Thompson Adeboyejo

, David Oyinlade Adejumobi, Maimuna Orire Abduraheem

Published in Urban and Regional Planning (Volume 11, Issue 3)

Received: 1 September 2026 Accepted: 17 September 2026 Published: 29 September 2026

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Abstract

Urban livability in vulnerable communities is closely related to the distribution of urban resources and the socioeconomic circumstances of residents. This study examined the relationship between livability and social equity in vulnerable urban communities in Lagos and Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria. Data were obtained from 1,190 respondents across selected communities using a structured questionnaire, supported by field observations and spatial assessment. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests and weighted mean analysis were used to examine socioeconomic differences and respondents’ perceptions of livability and social equity. Spatial differences were assessed between the two cities. The results show significant inter-city differences in educational attainment and monthly income, while gender, age, number of children, household size and marital status did not differ significantly between the two cities. Respondents generally regarded social inclusion, access to urban services, spatial opportunity, safety, education, healthcare and equitable resource allocation as important components of livability. The overall mean score for the physical and social dimensions of livability was 4.02, while the corresponding mean for resource allocation and livability was 4.12 on a five-point likert scale. However, respondents expressed weaker confidence in the existence of deliberate institutional commitment to social equity within their communities. The findings indicate that vulnerability in the study areas is not explained by socioeconomic conditions alone; it is also reflected in unequal access to services, opportunities and neighbourhood resources. The study concludes that improving livability in vulnerable communities requires greater attention to the spatial distribution of infrastructure, equitable access to urban opportunities and meaningful participation in local decision-making.

Published in	Urban and Regional Planning (Volume 11, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13
Page(s)	164-177
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Urban Livability, Vulnerable Communities, Infrastructure, Accessibility, Southwestern Nigeria

References

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[7]	Adewale, B. A., Ibem, E. O., Amole, S. A., & Adeboye, A. B. (2020). Place attachment in Nigerian urban slums: Evidence from inner-city Ibadan. Cities, 107, 102902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2020.102902
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[11]	Kim, S., Jeon, J., Noh, Y., & Woo, A. (2024). Impacts of streetscape features on individual social capital: Applying Korea's neighborhood data to street view images to improve lives of the socially vulnerable. Land, 13(5), 631.
[12]	Roy S., Majumder S., Bose A., Chowdhury I. R., (2024). Mapping the vulnerable: A framework for analyzing urban social vulnerability and its societal impact. Societal Impacts, 3, 100049. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100049
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APA Style

Asani, O. O., Adeboyejo, A. T., Adejumobi, D. O., Abduraheem, M. O. (2026). Determinants of Livability and Social Equity in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods of Southwestern Nigeria. Urban and Regional Planning, 11(3), 164-177. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13

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ACS Style

Asani, O. O.; Adeboyejo, A. T.; Adejumobi, D. O.; Abduraheem, M. O. Determinants of Livability and Social Equity in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods of Southwestern Nigeria. Urban Reg. Plan. 2026, 11(3), 164-177. doi: 10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13

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AMA Style

Asani OO, Adeboyejo AT, Adejumobi DO, Abduraheem MO. Determinants of Livability and Social Equity in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods of Southwestern Nigeria. Urban Reg Plan. 2026;11(3):164-177. doi: 10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13

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@article{10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13,
  author = {Oluwaseun Opeyemi Asani and Aina Thompson Adeboyejo and David Oyinlade Adejumobi and Maimuna Orire Abduraheem},
  title = {Determinants of Livability and Social Equity in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods of Southwestern Nigeria},
  journal = {Urban and Regional Planning},
  volume = {11},
  number = {3},
  pages = {164-177},
  doi = {10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.urp.20261103.13},
  abstract = {Urban livability in vulnerable communities is closely related to the distribution of urban resources and the socioeconomic circumstances of residents. This study examined the relationship between livability and social equity in vulnerable urban communities in Lagos and Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria. Data were obtained from 1,190 respondents across selected communities using a structured questionnaire, supported by field observations and spatial assessment. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests and weighted mean analysis were used to examine socioeconomic differences and respondents’ perceptions of livability and social equity. Spatial differences were assessed between the two cities. The results show significant inter-city differences in educational attainment and monthly income, while gender, age, number of children, household size and marital status did not differ significantly between the two cities. Respondents generally regarded social inclusion, access to urban services, spatial opportunity, safety, education, healthcare and equitable resource allocation as important components of livability. The overall mean score for the physical and social dimensions of livability was 4.02, while the corresponding mean for resource allocation and livability was 4.12 on a five-point likert scale. However, respondents expressed weaker confidence in the existence of deliberate institutional commitment to social equity within their communities. The findings indicate that vulnerability in the study areas is not explained by socioeconomic conditions alone; it is also reflected in unequal access to services, opportunities and neighbourhood resources. The study concludes that improving livability in vulnerable communities requires greater attention to the spatial distribution of infrastructure, equitable access to urban opportunities and meaningful participation in local decision-making.},
 year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Determinants of Livability and Social Equity in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods of Southwestern Nigeria
AU  - Oluwaseun Opeyemi Asani
AU  - Aina Thompson Adeboyejo
AU  - David Oyinlade Adejumobi
AU  - Maimuna Orire Abduraheem
Y1  - 2026/09/29
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13
T2  - Urban and Regional Planning
JF  - Urban and Regional Planning
JO  - Urban and Regional Planning
SP  - 164
EP  - 177
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1697
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13
AB  - Urban livability in vulnerable communities is closely related to the distribution of urban resources and the socioeconomic circumstances of residents. This study examined the relationship between livability and social equity in vulnerable urban communities in Lagos and Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria. Data were obtained from 1,190 respondents across selected communities using a structured questionnaire, supported by field observations and spatial assessment. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests and weighted mean analysis were used to examine socioeconomic differences and respondents’ perceptions of livability and social equity. Spatial differences were assessed between the two cities. The results show significant inter-city differences in educational attainment and monthly income, while gender, age, number of children, household size and marital status did not differ significantly between the two cities. Respondents generally regarded social inclusion, access to urban services, spatial opportunity, safety, education, healthcare and equitable resource allocation as important components of livability. The overall mean score for the physical and social dimensions of livability was 4.02, while the corresponding mean for resource allocation and livability was 4.12 on a five-point likert scale. However, respondents expressed weaker confidence in the existence of deliberate institutional commitment to social equity within their communities. The findings indicate that vulnerability in the study areas is not explained by socioeconomic conditions alone; it is also reflected in unequal access to services, opportunities and neighbourhood resources. The study concludes that improving livability in vulnerable communities requires greater attention to the spatial distribution of infrastructure, equitable access to urban opportunities and meaningful participation in local decision-making.
VL  - 11
IS  - 3
ER  -

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Author Information

Oluwaseun Opeyemi Asani

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0009-1820-6676
Aina Thompson Adeboyejo

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2676-2188
David Oyinlade Adejumobi

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria

Contact Email
Maimuna Orire Abduraheem

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

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APA Style

Asani, O. O., Adeboyejo, A. T., Adejumobi, D. O., Abduraheem, M. O. (2026). Determinants of Livability and Social Equity in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods of Southwestern Nigeria. Urban and Regional Planning, 11(3), 164-177. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13

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ACS Style

Asani, O. O.; Adeboyejo, A. T.; Adejumobi, D. O.; Abduraheem, M. O. Determinants of Livability and Social Equity in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods of Southwestern Nigeria. Urban Reg. Plan. 2026, 11(3), 164-177. doi: 10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13

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AMA Style

Asani OO, Adeboyejo AT, Adejumobi DO, Abduraheem MO. Determinants of Livability and Social Equity in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods of Southwestern Nigeria. Urban Reg Plan. 2026;11(3):164-177. doi: 10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13

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@article{10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13,
  author = {Oluwaseun Opeyemi Asani and Aina Thompson Adeboyejo and David Oyinlade Adejumobi and Maimuna Orire Abduraheem},
  title = {Determinants of Livability and Social Equity in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods of Southwestern Nigeria},
  journal = {Urban and Regional Planning},
  volume = {11},
  number = {3},
  pages = {164-177},
  doi = {10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.urp.20261103.13},
  abstract = {Urban livability in vulnerable communities is closely related to the distribution of urban resources and the socioeconomic circumstances of residents. This study examined the relationship between livability and social equity in vulnerable urban communities in Lagos and Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria. Data were obtained from 1,190 respondents across selected communities using a structured questionnaire, supported by field observations and spatial assessment. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests and weighted mean analysis were used to examine socioeconomic differences and respondents’ perceptions of livability and social equity. Spatial differences were assessed between the two cities. The results show significant inter-city differences in educational attainment and monthly income, while gender, age, number of children, household size and marital status did not differ significantly between the two cities. Respondents generally regarded social inclusion, access to urban services, spatial opportunity, safety, education, healthcare and equitable resource allocation as important components of livability. The overall mean score for the physical and social dimensions of livability was 4.02, while the corresponding mean for resource allocation and livability was 4.12 on a five-point likert scale. However, respondents expressed weaker confidence in the existence of deliberate institutional commitment to social equity within their communities. The findings indicate that vulnerability in the study areas is not explained by socioeconomic conditions alone; it is also reflected in unequal access to services, opportunities and neighbourhood resources. The study concludes that improving livability in vulnerable communities requires greater attention to the spatial distribution of infrastructure, equitable access to urban opportunities and meaningful participation in local decision-making.},
 year = {2026}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Determinants of Livability and Social Equity in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods of Southwestern Nigeria
AU  - Oluwaseun Opeyemi Asani
AU  - Aina Thompson Adeboyejo
AU  - David Oyinlade Adejumobi
AU  - Maimuna Orire Abduraheem
Y1  - 2026/09/29
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13
T2  - Urban and Regional Planning
JF  - Urban and Regional Planning
JO  - Urban and Regional Planning
SP  - 164
EP  - 177
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1697
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20261103.13
AB  - Urban livability in vulnerable communities is closely related to the distribution of urban resources and the socioeconomic circumstances of residents. This study examined the relationship between livability and social equity in vulnerable urban communities in Lagos and Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria. Data were obtained from 1,190 respondents across selected communities using a structured questionnaire, supported by field observations and spatial assessment. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests and weighted mean analysis were used to examine socioeconomic differences and respondents’ perceptions of livability and social equity. Spatial differences were assessed between the two cities. The results show significant inter-city differences in educational attainment and monthly income, while gender, age, number of children, household size and marital status did not differ significantly between the two cities. Respondents generally regarded social inclusion, access to urban services, spatial opportunity, safety, education, healthcare and equitable resource allocation as important components of livability. The overall mean score for the physical and social dimensions of livability was 4.02, while the corresponding mean for resource allocation and livability was 4.12 on a five-point likert scale. However, respondents expressed weaker confidence in the existence of deliberate institutional commitment to social equity within their communities. The findings indicate that vulnerability in the study areas is not explained by socioeconomic conditions alone; it is also reflected in unequal access to services, opportunities and neighbourhood resources. The study concludes that improving livability in vulnerable communities requires greater attention to the spatial distribution of infrastructure, equitable access to urban opportunities and meaningful participation in local decision-making.
VL  - 11
IS  - 3
ER  -

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