The Impact of Rural-Urban Migration on Urban Administration: Evidence from Lafia, Nasarawa State

Jacob Anthony; Nkemakolam Okorie; Moses Samuel Adigizi; Bahago Anthony Charity

doi:10.56201/jpaswr.v11.no3.2026.pg75.88

📄 Download Paper

The Impact of Rural-Urban Migration on Urban Administration: Evidence from Lafia, Nasarawa State

Jacob Anthony, Nkemakolam Okorie, Moses Samuel Adigizi, Bahago Anthony Charity

Abstract

This study examines the impact of rural–urban migration on urban administration in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The increasing movement of people from rural areas to urban centers has contributed significantly to rapid urban population growth, thereby placing considerable pressure on urban governance systems. The study adopted a descriptive survey design and utilized both primary and secondary sources of data. Primary data were collected through key informant interview with selected government officials, urban planners, and residents, while secondary data were sourced from relevant scholarly works and official reports. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis in line with the study objectives. The findings reveal that rural–urban migration has significantly increased population growth in Lafia, leading to overstretched infrastructure, housing shortages, and the proliferation of informal settlements. The study further finds that the growing population has placed immense pressure on urban service delivery and administrative capacity, resulting in inefficiencies in waste management, healthcare, transportation, and other public services. The study concludes that although rural–urban migration contributes to urban development; its rapid and unregulated nature poses serious challenges to effective urban jpaswr administration. It therefore recommends strengthened urban planning mechanisms, increased investment in infrastructure, improved administrative capacity, and enhanced rural development strategies to reduce migration pressure. The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on migration and urban governance and provides policy-relevant insights for sustainable urban management in Lafia and similar urban centers.

Keywords

Rural-Urban MigrationUrban AdministrationPopulation GrowthInfrastructure and HousingService Delivery.

References

Adepoju, A. (2010). International migration within, to and from Africa in a globalised world. Population, Space and Place, 16(5), 395–410. Ajaero, C. K., & Onokala, P. C. (2013). The effects of rural–urban migration on rural communities of southeastern Nigeria. International Journal of Population Research, 2013(1), 1–10. de Haas, H. (2010). Migration and development: A theoretical perspective. International Migration Review, 44(1), 227–264. Fox, S., Bloch, R., Monroy, J., & Ojo, A. (2018). Urbanisation and urban expansion in Nigeria. Urban Studies, 55(3), 1–20. Ibrahim, U. (2024). Impact of rapid growing population on infrastructure in Nigeria. Multi- Disciplinary Research and Development Journal International, 6(2), 34–49. Lee, E. S. (1966). A theory of migration. Demography, 3(1), 47–57. https://doi.org/10.2307/2060063 Onuoha, D. C., & Alom, A. C. (2023). A review of the negative effects of urban population growth in Nigeria. International Journal of General Economics and Management, 9(6), 45–58. Owoeye, J. O., & Adedeji, Y. M. D. (2013). Poverty, sanitation and public health nexus in the slums of Nigerian cities. Global Journal of Human Social Science, 13(5), 1–9. Ravenstein, E. G. (1885). The laws of migration. Journal of the Statistical Society of London, 48(2), 167–235. Tacoli, C. (2017). Migration and inclusive urbanization. World Development, 98(1), 78–87. Todaro, M. P. (1969). A model of labor migration and urban unemployment in less developed countries. The American Economic Review, 59(1), 138–148. UN-Habitat. (2020). World cities report 2020: The value of sustainable urbanization. United Nations Human Settlements Programme. United Nations. (2018). World urbanization prospects: The 2018 revision. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

The Impact of Rural-Urban Migration on Urban Administration: Evidence from Lafia, Nasarawa State

Abstract

Keywords

References

More Articles from JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE RESEARCH