Urban Gentrification and Housing Affordability: Evidence from Iwofe Community, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Markson Opeyemi Komolafe; Onyelukachi Nneoma Ike-Akude; Geoffrey Ogbonna Nwodo

doi:10.58709/niujcjg.v12i1.2491

Markson Opeyemi Komolafe University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
Onyelukachi Nneoma Ike-Akude Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Nigeria
Geoffrey Ogbonna Nwodo University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58709/niujcjg.v12i1.2491

Abstract

This study examines the impact of gentrification on housing affordability in Iwofe Community, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, addressing a critical gap in African and Nigerian gentrification research. Using a descriptive survey design with systematic random sampling, data were collected from 254 respondents who occupied housing units before 2020, enabling before-and-after comparisons of rental costs and housing affordability. Multivariate regression analysis identified factors driving rent escalation between the pre-gentrification (pre-2020) and post-gentrification (post-2020) periods. Results reveal severe deterioration in housing affordability. Weighted average rents increased 220% (from ₦373,228 to ₦1,193,465 annually), with housing-type-specific increases ranging from 100% for one-bedroom apartments to 268% for two-bedroom units. Critically, households experiencing severe affordability burden (spending ≥50% of income on rent) increased from 11.8% to 48.1%, far exceeding the 30% international threshold. Regression analysis demonstrates that gentrification-specific factors, particularly influx of higher-income residents (β = 0.318), urban redevelopment projects (β = 0.309), and infrastructure development (β = 0.304) collectively exert substantially greater influence (Σβ = 0.931) on rent escalation than general inflation (β = 0.281). This establishes that Iwofe's affordability crisis reflects locality-specific gentrification dynamics rather than macroeconomic factors. The study provides robust empirical evidence that gentrification constitutes the primary mechanism undermining housing affordability for low- and middle-income residents in this Nigerian petroleum-producing city. These findings underscore the urgent need for gentrification-control policies, affordable housing programs, and community protection mechanisms in rapidly urbanizing African cities.

Keywords: Gentrification, Housing Affordability, Urban Development, Nigeria.