Analysis of the Spatial Distribution and Characteristics of Petrol Filling Stations in Minna, Niger State

In many developed countries, urban growth has an increased use of automobile manufacturing, in turn influencing the need for fueling services and consequently the construction of petrol filling stations, which lack the minimum requirements for operation according to the DPR criteria for PFSs. The study analyzed the distribution and characteristics of petrol filling stations, which was supplemented using GIS techniques and tools like buffers and the average nearest neighbor tool, and integrated with the physical planning standards set by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). However, names and street addresses of the PFSs were obtained from through field observation. Maps, field observation, and satellite images were used to collect locational information about the area. The result indicates that there are 79 petrol filling stations located in the Minna metropolis. Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) is the major product traded by the stations; the overall pattern of the distribution of PFSs in the area is clustered where the z-score is -7.864847 and the pvalue is 0.000000 as the Nearest Neighbor index is <1. The major factors governing the spatial distribution and characteristics of filling stations are the traffic flow and exit site from the city, which are part of the owner‘s preference. However, most of the petrol filling stations had not satisfied the minimum requirement of 1089 m² land area, 50 m set back from the nearest residential structures representing 25.3% and (20.8, 32.1, 29.2%) respectively. Also, many stations had not met the criteria of 400 m minimum distance to other stations on the same axis, representing 84.8%. The study concluded that the substandard requirement of PFSs in the study area poses threats on the health and safety of users and residents in the vicinity and environs. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the regulatory agencies take proactive planning measures and integrate GIS in a manner that ensures that filling station operators comply with the standard.