An Assessment Of The Socio- Economic Determinant Of The Demand For Land In Adamawa State: A Case Study Of Mubi North Local Government Areas

Abstract

This study assesses the socio-economic determinants of land demand in Adamawa State, focusing on Mubi North Local Government Area. The specific objectives were to analyze how household income, occupation, and education level influence land demand; to assess the impact of household size, gender, and access to credit on individuals’ ability to acquire land; and to examine how land price, land availability, access to infrastructure, and tenure status influence land demand in the study area. Primary data were collected from 400 respondents using a structured questionnaire, and multiple regression analysis was applied to identify key determinants. The results revealed that land price had a positive and significant relationship with land demand (B = 0.021, p < 0.043), indicating speculative land acquisition trends. Infrastructure access also showed a positive and significant effect (B = 0.015, p < 0.048), while access to credit had a negative influence (B = 0.014, p < 0.039), suggesting a misalignment between credit use and land acquisition. Based on these findings, the study recommends: policymakers and financial institutions should design credit schemes that encourage households to invest in land acquisition and productive assets rather than primarily for consumption or informal trade; government agencies should implement policies to ensure transparency and stability in the land market, preventing speculative practices that may distort land demand and affordability; improving access to roads, electricity, water, and other essential infrastructure will increase land desirability and stimulate investment in residential, commercial, and agricultural land, efforts should be made to educate landowners and prospective buyers on secure land tenure practices to boost confidence in land investments and support sustainable land market growth.