Published Paper Details:

Several studies have been carried out on urban land use change in Nigeria but none of these studies have critically examined the pattern of residential land use commercialization and property rental trend in an emerging city as Osogbo. The study is therefore design to evaluate the influence of property use conversions from residential land use to commercial uses in order to ascertain the current rental trends of converted or commercialized two and three bedrooms as well as tenement buildings along Gbongan road, an area hitherto characterized with residential development in Osogbo metropolis. Data for this study were sourced through both Primary and secondary data sources and the data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Findings from the study revealed that residential land use commercialization is more along major arterial roads leading to the fast depletion of the available residential housing stock in the area. Despite the fact that, the converted or commercialized properties commanded higher rental values, its failure to comply with the state�s planning regulations have led to the distortion of the city master plan with the resultant consequences of aesthetic problems, rental values variations among others. It is on these findings that the study recommended among others the need for a more effective and efficient land use monitoring and management mechanism in the state.