Impact of Population Growth on Housing Demand and Supply in Gombe Local Government Area (LGA), Gombe State, Nigeria

 Abstract 

This research work examines the impact of rapid population growth on urban residential housing demand and supply in Gombe Local Government Area (LGA). Data used in this research include information obtained directly from people using structured questionnaires administered on randomly sampled 100 respondents (household heads). Secondary sources were also consulted. The Reconnaissance survey helped the researcher in identifying various households and observing the housing sizes, locations, the structure of the population, and people’s main occupations etc. Descriptive statistical techniques were employed in the  analysis and presentation of the data obtained from the field. The findings of the research show that 11.6% of the  sampled population in study area were public/civil servants drawn from Government work force, private sectors and industries. It was also revealed  that 32% of the respondents in the study area were educated, 20% lived in rented residential houses, and 36.8% owned their residential houses, 26.3% live in family houses and 5.3% were squatting. According to the analysis of this field survey, 26.3% of the respondents in the study area are comfortable with their accommodations, despite the fact that several of them do not own their residential houses. The study concluded that the rapid growth  both in size and population of the study area occasioned by insecurity of the neigbouring states, si the bane of  increasing demand in housing. Hence, the study recommended that Government should give equivalent importance to direct construction of residential units and the provision of basic infrastructures in various layouts to encourage  people build their personal houses. Key words: Housing Demand, Housing Supply, Household Head, Population growth