**6.1 Decay in infrastructures due to urban sprawl**

Over the years, Kano has witnessed unprecedented and unplanned urban development due to the city's urban growth, which has resulted in the urban fabric's spatial growth and rapid expansion. This growth, coupled with the rapid increase in the city's population due to various socio-economic activities resulting from the massive influx of migrants pursuing trading commodities and other opportunities such as employment, agriculture, and education, has exerted much pressure on existing public infrastructures in Kano. Therefore, resulting in the decay of physical and social infrastructures, the consequences of this manifested in various forms of peri-urban, slums, and squatters settlements with inadequate necessary facilities and services. Similarly, urbanization has significantly influenced the land use pattern and distribution in Kano, especially towards the city's fringes with numerous impacts on agricultural lands [58]. Earlier studies conducted by Dankani and Ibrahim [59] indicate a continuous decline in agricultural lands in Kano and a tremendous increase in residential development from about 28.19 square kilometers in 1966 to approximately 144.5 square s kilometers in 2016. This signifies an increase in the built-up area of Kano by about 8.25% annually, which is about 2.3 square kilometers and a subsequent decrease in natural vegetation. In a recent study, Koko et al. [26] indicate that the built-up area of Kano metropolis has increased from 66.16 square kilometers in 1991 to approximately 218.89 square kilometers in 2020, indicating an increase of 26.52% and an urban growth rate of 5 square kilometers per annum. This growth further serves as a threat to agricultural development, food security and contributes significantly to the decline in agricultural income and economic diversification.

Ayila, Oluseyi and Anas [14] attribute the growth and development of Kano to the city being the largest commercial and industrial hub in Northern Nigeria, with the majority of its populace and in-migrants engaging in a large volume of trading activities in various markets in the city. Such markets include the famous Kurmi market, Sabon Gari market, Kantin Kwari market, Dawanau market, and Kwanar Singer market. Kano also has numerous large, medium, and scale industries producing various textile materials, agricultural equipment, tanned leathers, pharmaceutical products, furniture, footwear, ceramics, plastics, and enamelware. Other products manufactured in Kano include animal feeds, dairy products, food and beverages, soft drinks, vegetable oil, and many others.

The urban growth of Kano covers all the eight Local Government Areas within the Kano city walls that include Kano Municipal Council (KMC), Fagge, Dala, Tarauni, Nasarawa, Gwale, Ungogo, and Kumbotso Local Government Areas. Other areas of the metropolis include parts of Dawakin Tofa, Gezawa, Dawakin Kudu, Madobi, and Rimin Gado LGA (**Figure 9**).

The consequences of this spatial growth and expansion of Kano are the undesirable physical and socio-economic problems that continuously serve as a threat to the health and well-being of the city's inhabitants. Such problems include; the haphazard development of residential areas in the city's suburbs without proper approval by relevant government authorities resulting in the physical deterioration of Kano city's infrastructure. Others include the uncoordinated development of Kano city's infrastructures, contributing to traffic congestion and air pollution, as well as inadequate essential facilities and services such as electricity, potable water, educational, and healthcare facilities, among others.

*Understanding the Challenges of 21st Century Urbanization in Northern Nigeria's Largest City… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109400*

**Figure 9.** *Map of Kano Metropolis and its surrounding LGAs.*

In response to this challenge of decaying infrastructures due to the consequences of urban sprawl in Kano, the Kano state government initiated urban renewal and rural transformation projects tagged 'Lungu Kal-Kal' and 'Karkara Salamu-Alaikum.' The two (2) critical projects aimed at addressing the deteriorating infrastructures in the city while beautifying the urban landscape of Kano through the construction and rehabilitation of new and existing roads and bridges, renovation, and construction of educational and healthcare facilities as well as the provision of essential facilities and services to link the industrial city to all the rural communities across the state. The project's first phase encompasses all eight (8) metropolitan local government areas in Kano, covering Kano municipal, Dala, Tarauni, Fagge, Kumbotso, Nassarawa, Gwale, and Ungogo. The projects executed under the first phase include; the construction and rehabilitation of numerous road infrastructural projects, the construction and provision of Healthcare and educational facilities to all communities of Kano [60].

As a contribution to this response, some of the challenges faced due to the negative impact of urban sprawl can be further eradicated through the active participation and involvement of communities in relevant policy formulation and decision-making. This will go a long way in adopting the principle of "planning with the people" rather than "planning for the people" regarding the physical development that seeks to curb the menace of urban sprawl. There is also a need for more community enlightenment and advocacy regarding the benefits of complying with Kano's State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) planning laws that enhance and promote sustainable urban growth through infrastructural development.
