Urban Housing Experience and Gender: An Empirical Study in Ibadan, Nigeria

The paper examines gender differences in the experience of housing in Ibadan, Nigeria. The data used is from a larger household survey carried out by the author in Ibadan, Nigeria. Analysis of variance, paired samples‘t’ test, and multiple linear regression statistical techniques are used to analyze the data. Significant intra-urban variation is found in women’s satisfaction with housing in the following order: high density < medium density < low density residential zones. Significant gender differences are found in the aspects of housing that woman and man are especially interested. Men appear to be more interested in the living room than women while women appear to be more interested in the bedroom and kitchen than men. Women felt more that their daily activities are adversely affected by housing attributes than men. House location distance to the various activities is found to have the greatest effects on both women and men’s daily activities, followed by housing unit condition and neighbourhood facilities/services condition. Effect of house location distance is found to be greater for men while the effects of neighbourhood facilities/services and housing unit conditions are found to be greater for women. Gender sensitive policy implications are discussed in the paper.