Assessment of factors influencing access to residential land in urban border communities of Imeko/Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria: A gender dimension

This article examines the factors influencing access to residential land among men and women in Ogun State border communities, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 411 male and female homeowners. Copies of the questionnaire were administered to 362 respondents (196 males and 166 females), representing 54% male and 46% female homeowners. Frequency distribution, percentages, factor analysis, binary probit regression, and correlation analysis were utilized to analyze the data collected from male and female homeowners. The study reveals that the proportion of female respondents with insecure access is higher than that of their male counterparts. This indicates that women are more land-insecure compared to men. The study shows that affordability, land availability, procedural issues, security of tenure, and personal factors were found to influence men’s access to residential land, while affordability, land availability, security of tenure, personal, and procedural issues were the factors among women. The use of binary probit regression analysis indicates that lower levels of affordability, limited land availability, and weaker socioeconomic status tend to reduce men’s likelihood of access to residential land, while improvements in tenure security and procedural conditions often increase their probability of land access. In contrast, limited land availability and bureaucratic barriers tend to reduce women’s likelihood of access, while an increase in financial capacity, tenure security, and stronger socioeconomic status enhances their access to residential land. Findings from the correlation analysis demonstrate that access-related land factors of male homeowners are positively influenced by socio-economic variables, while female homeowners experience predominantly negative associations, particularly with marital status, household size, and income. The study concluded that access to residential land is influenced by different factors, and these factors significantly influence the level of access among men and women.