Assessment of Residents’ Awareness of Urban Health Hazards in Informal Settlements of Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
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Date
2025-11
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
Abstract
Abstract
The rapid and often unregulated urban expansion in Nigeria has strained municipal systems,
leading to widespread health hazards such as poor sanitation, polluted water, and exposure to
hazardous materials particularly in informal settlements. Public awareness of these hazards is
crucial, as it shapes health behaviours, community responses, and the effectiveness of
environmental health policies and interventions. This study investigates residents’ awareness level
of urban environmental health hazards across three Area Councils of Abuja Municipal, Bwari, and
Gwagwalada in FCT, Nigeria. Using a cross-sectional survey design, primary data were collected
from 1,137 respondents through structured questionnaires and field observations. Residents’
Awareness was measured on a 4-point Likert scale and analysed using descriptive statistics and the
Kruskal-Wallis H test to evaluate spatial differences. The results revealed that across the Area
Councils, most respondents (56.0%) have tertiary education, reflecting a relatively educated
population. Results also show a high awareness of visible, day-to-day hazards (clogged drains,
noise, waste), while awareness of less visible but harmful risks (asbestos and mould) remains low.
The Kruskal-Wallis H test revealed no statistically significant differences in awareness levels across
Councils (p > 0.05). Post-hoc pairwise comparisons using Mann-Whitney U tests confirmed this
uniformity. These findings indicate the need for targeted education strategies to raise awareness
about chronic and less perceptible health hazards, while supporting region-wide public health
interventions that leverage the high educational attainment of the population. This study aligned
with the SDG goal 11 which advocates for inclusive, safe, resilience and liveable cities especially in
the developing countries.
Description
Keywords
Environment, Hazard, Informal Settlement, Urban health, Awareness, Urban vulnerability