HOME-BASED ENTERPRISES: IMPLICATIONS FOR HOUSING AND URBAN PLANNING IN NIGERIA
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Locke Science Publishing Company, Inc
Abstract
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There is increasing recognition of the role home-based enterprises (HBEs) play in the
socioeconomic development of cities in developing countries. However, there appears to be a
limited understanding of how housing designers and urban planners can provide support for
HBEs in developing countries to help ensure their survival. Data derived from two separate
surveys of 160 and 517 households in the urban areas of the states of Osun and Ogun, Nigeria,
were used to examine the prevalence of HBEs and how housing providers and urban planners
can respond to urban residents’ need for HBEs. The findings show that, despite the differences in
educational and cultural capital that generally result in distinct differences in domestic
practices, the use of domestic dwellings for small-scale commercial activities remains a
prevailing component of housing in the study area. The HBEs in this study were predominantly
small-scale retail businesses found in dwellings occupied by mostly low- and average-income
households. The study explored the implications of HBEs for housing and urban planning and
concluded that an integrated approach involving the use of design and planning strategies by
housing designers and urban planners is needed to integrate HBEs with domestic spaces while
mitigating their potential negative effects on the environment, economy, and society
Keywords
H Social Sciences (General)