Abstract
The expansion of planned urban districts in rapidly growing cities increasingly brings formal development into contact with established informal settlements. The challenge is not simply how to control informal development, but how to improve infrastructure and environmental conditions without disrupting livelihoods, tenure arrangements and community networks. This study examines the prospects for integrating Kpaduma, an informal settlement in Abuja, Nigeria, into the planned Guzape District. A mixed- methods approach was adopted, combining questionnaire administration, reconnaissance surveys, land-use and housing assessment, environmental and infrastructure assessment, interviews, GPS-based mapping and review of relevant planning documents. A total of 400 questionnaires were administered to residents. The findings reveal substantial deficiencies in basic infrastructure. Only 15.5% of respondents rated road conditions as good, while 60.0% considered them poor. Boreholes were the main source of water for 55.1% of respondents, while 59.2% reported the absence of waste management services. Electricity supply was also fragmented, with 50.2% relying primarily on the public electricity network, 29.75% on generators and 20.1% on solar energy. The study further identifies weaknesses in planning regulation, development control, institutional coordination and tenure security. Despite these deficiencies, residents generally viewed integration positively, particularly because of its expected benefits for infrastructure, housing, employment, environmental conditions and access to urban services. The study argues that integration should not be pursued through wholesale redevelopment or relocation. Rather, it should combine in situ upgrading, tenure regularisation, infrastructure improvement, environmental management, livelihood protection and meaningful community participation. Such an approach would allow Kpaduma to become functionally integrated into Guzape while reducing the risks of displacement and social exclusion.