Street-network Sprawl in Igboho, Nigeria

What is Street-network sprawl?

Street-network Sprawl is a way to measure urban sprawl, worldwide, through the connectedness of the streets. Less sprawl means more connected, more walkable streets. Well-connected streets – like New York City’s grid – are more walkable and can be served by public transit.

The street network is permanent, and its connectivity affects the livability and environmental footprint of cities for decades and centuries to come. In places with more connected streets, residents drive less and walk more. A well-connected street network is associated with better outcomes for health, the environment, sustainable consumption, social integration, and equity.

We can quantify how connected street networks are with the Street Network Disconnectedness Index (SNDi).

SNDi -- our measure of street-network sprawl (disconnectedness)

The SNDi is a comprehensive measurement of “sprawl”. It captures:

A higher SNDi means less-connected streets – i.e., more sprawl. For the 10137 cities in our dataset, the average SNDi is 2.25, with half of the cities' SNDis falling between 1.08 and 3.25.

More information on the sprawl index can be found in these research papers:

To see the state of street-network sprawl across the globe, visit the sprawlmap.

Igboho: city in Oyo, Nigeria

What exactly constitutes the spatial extent of the city? For these aggregations, we used the Global Human Settlement Layer Urban Center Database (GHS-UCDB) to define the boundaries of the city. These cities -- or urban centers -- cover areas that are densely populated and built-up, and so may extend beyond the spatial borders of these cities that we may be familiar with. The GHS area is shaded in blue.

View Igboho, Nigeria on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Igboho as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 1.46, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 0.15, 0.65, 4.04 and 1.73. Street construction in Igboho increased in disconnectivity initially but has since improved. The streets constructed in 1991-2000 were the most disconnected.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Igboho spans a total of 150 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 2001-2014. These roads have an SNDi of 1.73, which is relatively well-connected.

Effect on the aggregate network: New construction in each period adds to the total stock of streets, but does not change streets that have already been built. Therefore, it has a limited effect on the street network as a whole. The SNDis of the aggregate street network in the respective time periods are 0.15, 0.25, 0.41 and 1.46. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Igboho has become more disconnected.

Igboho and Oyo do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Igboho peaked in 1991-2000, while the SNDi of street constructions in Oyo followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase.

How do development practices in Igboho fare in comparison to others in Oyo? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Igboho was the 9th-most disconnected out of the 15 cities in Oyo. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Oyo, street construction in Igboho has become more disconnected. Igboho ranked 11th in 1975, 10th in 1976-1990, 2nd in 1991-2000 and 9th in 2001-2014.

Igboho and Nigeria follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi for both of these peaked in 1991-2000.

How do development practices in Igboho fare in comparison to others in Nigeria? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Igboho was the 247th-most disconnected out of the 411 cities in Nigeria. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Nigeria, street construction in Igboho has become more connected. Igboho ranked 200th in 1975, 247th in 1976-1990, 86th in 1991-2000 and 247th in 2001-2014.

Igboho and Oyo do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Igboho rose steadily, while the SNDi of street constructions in Oyo followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase.

To date, Igboho is the 10th-most disconnected out of the 15 cities in Oyo. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Oyo, the street network in Igboho has become more disconnected. Igboho ranked 11th in 1975, 10th in 1976-1990, 10th in 1991-2000 and 10th in 2001-2014.

Igboho and Nigeria follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi for both of these rose steadily.

To date, Igboho is the 240th-most disconnected out of the 411 cities in Nigeria. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Nigeria, the street network in Igboho has become more connected. Igboho ranked 200th in 1975, 281st in 1976-1990, 280th in 1991-2000 and 240th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Igboho had a built-up area of 3.22 square kilometers, and a population of 128175 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: