SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POVERTY CHARACTERISTICS OF PERI-URBAN RESIDENTS IN ABUJA, NIGERIA.

Purpose: The study assessed the socio-economic and poverty characteristics of peri-urban residents in Abuja, Nigeria, to determine the socio-economic composition of peri-urban dwellers, including employment status, income, education, occupation, and commercial activities that drive peri-urban development. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the number of households available in the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company of Nigeria database, the study selected 1500 households in peri-urban areas. The study used a closed-ended questionnaire and systematic random sampling to administer 251 questionnaires to every 10th house. A total of 247 questionnaires with complete responses were returned and analyzed. The study employed percentages, crosstabulation, and the chi-square test. Finding: The results showed that 76.9% of households in the second to fourth categories of household size lived on less than half a dollar per day. Research limitation/implication: The study used only socio-economic characteristics of peri-urban areas of Abuja, comprising Bwari, Kuje, and Gwagwalada areas of the FCT. Originality: The results revealed that education level and household size were significantly related to income level. The study concludes that Abuja's informal settlement areas were characterized by poverty, as most households lived on less than half a dollar per day.