INVESTIGATING HOUSING CONDITIONS IN INTERNATIONAL BORDER TOWN IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Housing conditions have attending impacts on occupants and social development of neighbourhoods at large. However, research studies detailing the current state of dwelling housing at international border areas between developing countries is limited or non-available. This study, therefore, investigates housing conditions in these areas with a particular survey focus on international neighbouring town between Nigeria and Benin-Republic. Following a scientific process, a representative sample of 280 households was selected through multi-stage random sampling technique. A calibrated statistical model which initially used indices on measuring severity of poverty was utilized at 5% level of significance and all analyses were conducted via STATA 12 statistical software. With Headcount ratio, it was shown that large proportions of the buildings population studied are in severe housing conditions. Again, Average Normalized Severity Gap indicates that housing conditions in the study area on average generally fall below the severity line. This was further supported by statistic from Average Squared Normalized Severity Gap. In other words, the study affirms that housing conditions of dwelling buildings at international border towns between Nigeria and Benin Republic as developing countries are in critical or very deplorable condition.