Effect of Land Markets on Land Ownership in Peri-Urban Nigeria

The study examined the growth in land markets in peri-urban Nigeria with a view to determine its effects on land ownership in Nigeria and factors discriminating between land ownership and tenancy. Data were collected from 63 respondents and examined using descriptive statistics and discriminant analysis. The results showed that land prices in the past seven years have been growing at a compound growth rate of 44.4%. Also, there are significant differences between landowners and landless respondents especially with respect to age, household size, income, and marital status. Landowners tend to be older, married and having higher income. The paper concludes with a suggestion that land policy that will safeguard the environment should be vigorously pursued. Key words: discriminant, land owner, migration, peri-urban Eastern African Journal of Rural Development Vol.20(1) 2004: 136-141