EFFECT OF URBANIZATION ON UNEMPLOYMENT IN ENUGU URBAN CENTRE

Abstract

The struggle for survival has led to indiscriminate migration process, hence the redefinition of urbanisation. Urban centres has always being the last hope of the common man, even in cases where there is a clear nexus between urban services and job creation. This study aim at examining the effects of urbanisation and unemployment in Enugu urban centre. Specifically the study sought to ascertain the effect of rural urban migration on unemployment, determine the effect of urbanisation on rural urban per capita income differentials and examine the effect of concentration of developmental activities in urban centres in Enugu. Structural functionalism theory was adopted in interrogating the study. The study adopted ex-post factor design, the study employed both primary and secondary data. The population of the study is 1,505,948 while the sample size is 316 using Taro Yamani statistical formular. The findings revealed that rural urban migration has significant positive effect on unemployment, that rural urban per capita income differentials has significant positive effect on unemployment among others. The study recommended that, there is need to fast track rural development to raise rural income and to provide adequate services as a way to reduce urban in-migration, and possibly to encourage out- migration to rural economy.