Changes in travel frequency and residential relocation following the removal of fuel subsidies in Ibadan North, Nigeria

Abiodun Ayooluwa Areola; Abiodun Ayooluwa Areola

doi:10.3934/urs.2025004

Urban Resilience and Sustainability

2025, Volume 3, Issue 1: 86-101. doi: 10.3934/urs.2025004

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Research article Special Issues

Changes in travel frequency and residential relocation following the removal of fuel subsidies in Ibadan North, Nigeria

Abiodun Ayooluwa Areola ^,

Department of Geography, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

Received: 03 March 2025 Revised: 11 June 2025 Accepted: 17 June 2025 Published: 25 June 2025

The removal of fuel subsidies in Nigeria has triggered widespread changes in transportation affordability, with serious implications for where urban residents choose to live. In this study, we examined how households in Ibadan-North, a local government area in Oyo State, are adjusting their residential decisions in response to increased transportation costs. Drawing on data from 400 respondents across twelve communities, we explored the relationship between transport-related financial strain and shifts in housing preference. Our findings showed that households are reducing the frequency of travel for work, education, and social activities, leading to a growing preference for homes located near essential services. While income and occupation significantly influenced household responses, other demographic factors showed little variation. The study highlights the role of transport vulnerability in shaping urban spatial patterns and calls attention to the need for planning strategies that can buffer low- and middle-income populations from the pressures of fuel policy reform.
- fuel subsidy removal,
- transport vulnerability,
- residential mobility,
- urban housing choice,
- human ecology
Citation: Abiodun Ayooluwa Areola. Changes in travel frequency and residential relocation following the removal of fuel subsidies in Ibadan North, Nigeria[J]. Urban Resilience and Sustainability, 2025, 3(1): 86-101. doi: 10.3934/urs.2025004

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Abstract

The removal of fuel subsidies in Nigeria has triggered widespread changes in transportation affordability, with serious implications for where urban residents choose to live. In this study, we examined how households in Ibadan-North, a local government area in Oyo State, are adjusting their residential decisions in response to increased transportation costs. Drawing on data from 400 respondents across twelve communities, we explored the relationship between transport-related financial strain and shifts in housing preference. Our findings showed that households are reducing the frequency of travel for work, education, and social activities, leading to a growing preference for homes located near essential services. While income and occupation significantly influenced household responses, other demographic factors showed little variation. The study highlights the role of transport vulnerability in shaping urban spatial patterns and calls attention to the need for planning strategies that can buffer low- and middle-income populations from the pressures of fuel policy reform.

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