URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE RENEWAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC REVITALIZATION IN ABA METROPOLIS, ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

This study examined the relationship between urban infrastructure renewal and socioeconomic revitalization in Aba Metropolis, Abia State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional mixed-method research design was adopted, combining a questionnaire survey with field observations and documentary evidence. The study population comprised 531,340 residents of Aba North and Aba South Local Government Areas. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, 400 respondents were selected through purposive, proportional and simple random sampling procedures, while 352 valid questionnaires were retrieved, representing an 88.0% response rate. Data were analysed using frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation and exploratory binary logistic regression. The findings revealed that 96.6% of respondents perceived an increase in economic activities in Aba during the recent renewal period. Model motor parks recorded the highest mean score (4.26), followed by environmental renewal (4.20), market renewal (4.18), water and sanitation (4.12), and healthcare renewal (4.07). Recreation (4.00), electrification (3.99), roads and drainage (3.92), education (3.91), mechanic villages (3.90), and housing (3.67) fell below the grand-mean benchmark of 4.02 but remained above the neutral point of 3.00, indicating generally favourable perceptions. The logistic-regression results showed that none of the individual renewal domains significantly predicted perceived economic growth at the 5% level. However, the regression estimates were affected by severe outcome imbalance, related predictors and exceptionally large standard errors; consequently, they were treated as exploratory and not interpreted as causal effects. The study concluded that infrastructure renewal had generated strong public confidence and favourable conditions for socioeconomic revitalization, although its objective effects require further evaluation. It recommended integrated infrastructure planning, measurable project monitoring, livelihood protection, adequate maintenance funding and longitudinal assessment using objective economic indicators