SUSTAINABLE URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND URBAN RESILIENCE IN ABUJA, NIGERIA: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION

Abstract

Rapid urbanisation and growing environmental and infrastructure pressures have increased the need for cities to develop sustainable, adaptable, and resilient infrastructure systems. This study empirically examines the effect of sustainable urban infrastructure practices on urban resilience in Abuja, Nigeria. Sustainable urban infrastructure was operationalised through green building practices, renewable energy integration, sustainable transportation, smart-city technologies, and resilient infrastructure and disaster-management practices, while urban resilience constituted the dependent variable. A quantitative research design was adopted, using a structured questionnaire administered to respondents in Abuja. Of the 384 questionnaires distributed, 361 were retrieved, while 348 valid responses were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings indicate that resilient infrastructure and disaster-management practices recorded the highest mean score (3.71), whereas smart-city technologies recorded the lowest (3.31). The overall mean for sustainable infrastructure was 3.51, compared with 3.39 for urban resilience. Correlation analysis revealed positive associations between all dimensions of sustainable infrastructure and urban resilience, with resilient infrastructure recording the strongest relationship (r = 0.674). The regression model produced an R² of 0.610, indicating that the five infrastructure dimensions jointly explained 61.0% of the variation in urban resilience. Resilient infrastructure was the strongest predictor (β = 0.337), followed by renewable energy (β = 0.229), green building (β = 0.196), smart-city technologies (β = 0.174), and sustainable transportation (β = 0.151). The study concludes that sustainable urban infrastructure significantly enhances urban resilience in Abuja and recommends integrating resilience principles into urban infrastructure planning, investment, and management.