Navigating Urban Deprivation in Nigeria: Evidence from Lagos-Ogun Border Conurbation and Implications for Ecological Civilization

ABSTRACT: Understanding how residents experience living conditions is essential for reducing inequality and advancing more sustainable cities. This study assessed multidimensional urban deprivation in border settlements forming the Lagos–Ogun conurbation, with the aim of generating evidence to improve living conditions and service delivery in the study area. Systematic sampling was used to select eligible respondents (n = 325). Residents rated the importance of, and satisfaction with, key settlement attributes, from which the Residents’ Importance Attached Index (RIAI) and Residents’ Satisfaction Derived Index (RSDI) were computed. Facility conditions were assessed using a Facility Condition Index (FCI). Findings show pronounced gaps between what residents consider important and what they experience in practice across physical, social, and economic domains, indicating multidimensional deprivation in both states’ border settlements. Facility condition ratings further indicate that many basic services and public facilities are in poor condition, reinforcing deprivation. The paper recommends a coordinated Lagos–Ogun border service strategy that prioritizes rehabilitation and maintenance of critical infrastructure, strengthens development control and service accountability across jurisdictions, and leverages well-regulated public–private partnerships to expand and sustain service provision.