Management of Urban Sprawl and Its Implications for Service Delivery in Ilorin Metropolis

Urban sprawl imposes escalating service delivery costs and infrastructure gaps on the growing periphery of Nigerian metropolitan areas, demanding proactive management strategies to promote compact, efficient urban form. This study examines the management of urban sprawl and its implications for service delivery efficiency in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State. Using a professional management analysis framework, the research reviews spatial growth data, service coverage statistics, and institutional management reports from the Kwara State Urban Development Authority and Ilorin West, East, and South local government areas. Interviews with 13 urban management practitioners from state and local government bodies supplemented document analysis. Spatial analysis using GIS quantified the rate and direction of urban expansion from 2015 to 2023. A cost estimation exercise assessed the incremental service delivery costs associated with servicing fringe developments relative to intensifying central area development. Findings are expected to confirm rapid peripheral expansion without commensurate infrastructure provision, generating service deficits particularly in water supply, waste collection, and road maintenance in outer neighborhoods. The study examines management frameworks for development control at the urban fringe and identifies institutional barriers to effective containment. Recommendations address development of an urban growth management strategy for Ilorin Metropolis, introduction of development impact fees for fringe infrastructure financing, coordination agreements between state and local authorities on development approval in fringe areas, and densification incentive programs for central area infill development. Keywords: Urban sprawl management, Service delivery, Ilorin, Growth management, Urban fringe.