NIGERIA: ONITSHA URBAN PROFILE © UN-Habitat / Alessandro Scotti 1 Copyright © United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), 2012 All rights reserved United Nations Human Settlements Programme publications can be obtained from UN-Habitat Regional and Information Offices or directly from: P.O. Box 30030, GPO 00100 Nairobi, Kenya. Fax: + (254 20) 762 4266/7 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.unhabitat.org This Onitsha report and project was prepared and managed by Alioune Badiane, Johnson Bade Falade, Don Okpala, Francis Onweluzo, Moses Olubunmi Ajayi, Chike F. Ejindu, C. C. Okojie, and Udeaja Chris Ikenna in Nigeria. This report was also managed by Kerstin Sommer, Alain Grimard, David Kithakye, Mathias Spaliviero, and Doudou Mbye in Nairobi. HS Number: HS/066/12E ISBN Number(Series): 978-92-1-132023-7 ISBN Number(Volume): 978-92-1-132481-5 DISCLAIMER The designation employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or regarding its economic system or degree of development. The analysis, conclusions and recommendations of the report do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the Governing Council of UN-Habitat or its Member States. This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Excerpts from this publication may be reproduced without authorisation, on condition that the source is indicated. Photo credits: © UN-Habitat ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Editing: Edward Miller Design and Layout: Florence Kuria 2 NIGERIA: ONITSHA URBAN PROFILE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PROGRAMME TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORDS 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 BACKGROUND 7 GOVERNANCE 10 SLUMS AND SHELTER 13 GENDER 16 ENVIRONMENT 19 LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 21 BASIC URBAN SERVICES 23 HERITAGE 26 TRANSPORTATION 27 SWOT ANALYSES GOVERNANCE 31 SLUMS AND SHELTER 32 GENDER 33 ENVIRONMENT 34 LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 35 BASIC URBAN SERVICES 36 HERITAGE 37 TRANSPORTATION 39 3 4 4 FOREWORD According to As part of our drive to address this crisis, UN-Habitat research published is working with the European Commission and the in UN-Habitat’s1 Brussels-based Secretariat of the African, Caribbean flagship report, The and Pacific (ACP) Group to support sustainable urban State of the World’s development. Given the urgent and diverse needs, we Cities 2010-2011, found it necessary to develop a tool for rapid assessment all developing and strategic planning to guide immediate, mid and regions, including long-term interventions. And here we have it in the the African, form of this series of publications. Caribbean and Pacific states, will The Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme is based have more people on the policy dialogue between UN-Habitat, the ACP living in urban than Secretariat and the European Commission which dates rural areas by the back to the year 2002. When the three parties met at year 2030. With UN-Habitat headquarters in June 2009, more than 200 half the world’s delegates from over 50 countries approved a resounding population already living in urban areas, the challenges call on the international community to pay greater we face in the battle against urban poverty, our quest for attention to these urbanization matters, and to extend cities without slums, for cities where women feel safer, the slum upgrading programme to all countries in the for inclusive cities with power, water and sanitation, ACP Group. and affordable transport, for better planned cities, and for cleaner, greener cities is daunting. It is worth recalling here how grateful we are that the European Commission’s 9th European Development But as this series shows, there are many interesting Fund for ACP countries provided EUR 4 million (USD solutions and best practices to which we can turn. After 5.7 million at June 2011 rates) to enable UN-Habitat all, the figures tell us that during the decade 2000 to to conduct the programme which now serves 59 cities 2010, a total of 227 million people in the developing in 23 African countries, and more than 20 cities in six countries moved out of slum conditions. In other Pacific, and four Caribbean countries. words, governments, cities and partner institutions have collectively exceeded the slum target of the Millennium Indeed, since its inception in 2008, the slum upgrading Development Goals twice over and ten years ahead of programme has achieved the confidence of partners at the agreed 2020 deadline. city and country level in Africa, the Caribbean and in the Pacific. It is making a major contribution aimed Asia and the Pacific stood at the forefront of successful at helping in urban poverty reduction efforts, as each efforts to reach the slum target, with all governments report in this series shows." in the region improving the lives of an estimated 172 million slum dwellers between 2000 and 2010. I wish to express my gratitude to the European Commission and the ACP Secretariat for their In sub-Saharan Africa though, the total proportion commitment to this slum upgrading programme. I of the urban population living in slums has decreased have every confidence that the results outlined in this by only 5 per cent (or 17 million people). Ghana, profile, and others, will serve to guide the development Senegal, Uganda, and Rwanda were the most successful of responses for capacity building and investments in countries in the sub-region, reducing the proportions of the urban sector. slum dwellers by over one-fifth in the last decade. Further, I would like to thank each Country Team for Some 13 per cent of the progress made towards the their continued support to this process which is essential global slum target occurred in Latin America and the for the successful implementation of the Participatory Caribbean, where an estimated 30 million people have Slum Upgrading Programme. moved out of slum conditions since the year 2000. Yet, UN-Habitat estimates confirm that the progress made on the slum target has not been sufficient to counter the demographic expansion in informal settlements in the developing world. In this sense, efforts to reduce the numbers of slum dwellers are neither satisfactory nor adequate. Dr. Joan Clos Executive Director, UN-Habitat 1 UN-Habitat - United Nations Human Settlements Programme FOREWORD 5 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION Onitsha, the gateway to eastern Nigeria and economic nerve centre of Nigeria, is located on latitude 6.1°N The Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) and longitude 6.8°E in the Anambra North Senatorial is an accelerated and action-oriented urban assessment Zone of Anambra State. It occupies the eastern bank of of needs and capacity-building gaps at the city level. The the Niger River, covering some 50 square kilometres. programme is supported by funds from the European Onitsha is strategically located and accessed through Commission’s European Development Fund and it is the east–west national main road from Lagos through currently being implemented in 20 African, Caribbean Benin, which links the eastern north–south route via and Pacific Countries. PSUP uses a structured approach the Niger Bridge at Onitsha. The main concentration where priority interventions are agreed upon through of population and industrial activity and the areas consultative processes. The PSUP methodology consists showing the greatest potential for growth are situated of three phases: (1) a rapid participatory urban profiling at along this transportation axis. The recent process of national and local levels, focusing on Governance, Local urban expansion largely reflects the communication Economic Development, Land, Gender, Environment, network. Onitsha’s location, which combines both road Slums and Shelter, Basic Urban Services, and Waste and waterway access points, makes it one of the four Management, and proposed interventions; (2) detailed main potential industrial and commercial growth areas priority proposals; and (3) project implementation. in Nigeria. PSUP in Nigeria encompasses profiles for Ifako- Ijaiye, Karu and Onitsha, each published as a separate The city is split into two local government areas, Onitsha report. This is the Onitsha report and it constitutes a South and Onitsha North. Both areas are bound by general background, a synthesis of the eight themes; Ogbaru local government to the south, Idemili North Governance, Slums and Shelter, Gender and HIV/ and Oyi to the east, and Anambra East to the north. AIDS, Environment, Local Economic Development, Basic Urban Services, Heritage, and Transportation, and priority project proposals. BACKGROUND Onitsha is located in Anambra State, which is one of Nigeria’s 36 states and one of 5 states in the country’s south-east geo-political zone. The other states in the zone are Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo. The new Anambra State was created in August 1991, together with Enugu State from the old Anambra State, with its state capital at Awka. The state is divided into 21 local government areas for administrative purposes, each with its headquarters. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 6 BACKGROUND INTRODUCTION This report presents the outcomes of Phase One at the local level in Onitsha. Urban Profiling The Onitsha Urban Profiling consists of an accelerated, action-oriented assessment of urban conditions, URBAN PROFILING IN ONITSHA focusing on priority needs, capacity gaps and existing The urban profiling in Onitsha is one of three similar institutional responses at local and national levels. exercises conducted in Nigeria; the other urban profiling The purpose of the study is to develop urban poverty centres are Karu and Ifako-Ijaiye. reduction policies at local, national, and regional levels, through an assessment of needs and response mechanisms, and as a contribution to the wider-ranging REPORT STRUCTURE implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.