The Impact of Urbanisation on Social Values Among Secondary School Students in Abuja, FCT

This study examines the impact of urbanisation on the social values of secondary school students in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, North Central Nigeria. Abuja's rapid urban growth has transformed it into a melting pot of diverse cultures, lifestyles, and social influences. This multicultural urban environment creates both opportunities and challenges for value formation among adolescent students. Using a descriptive survey design, 340 SSS1 and SSS2 students from ten public secondary schools in Abuja Municipal Area Council were surveyed using a validated Social Values Scale. Data were analysed using mean, standard deviation, and one-way analysis of variance. Findings indicate that students from higher-urbanised neighbourhoods displayed stronger individualistic values and weaker communal orientation compared to peers from peri-urban areas. Exposure to diverse peer groups in urban schools was positively associated with tolerance but negatively linked to traditional civic values. Social Studies teachers in urban Abuja reported difficulties connecting curriculum content with the hybrid cultural identities of their students. The study recommends that Social Studies teachers in urban FCT schools adopt culturally responsive pedagogical strategies that acknowledge and affirm diverse student identities while reinforcing shared civic values. Keywords: urbanisation, social values, secondary students, Abuja, Social Studies.