THE IMPACTS OF AGGLOMERATION ON THE IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT, USING THE LAGOS REGION AS A STUDY CASE

Abstract

Scholars who are interested in the geography of innovation have emphasized the idea that firms that cluster in geographic space benefit from external economies and grow faster than do isolated firms. In contrast, the possible negative effects of industrial agglomeration on the immediate environment have not received attention, thereby leaving a crucial lacuna in understanding of the spatial organization of production. In the light of this, the paper underscores the impacts of agglomeration on the immediate environment. Data for this research was collected from both primary and secondary sources. The first stage in the collection of primary data involves the reconnaissance survey of the study area, while the second stage involves administration of questionnaires in twelve industrial estates. Ten questionnaires were administered on heads of household living closes to each of the industrial estates, making a total of one hundred and twenty. While the secondary data were collected from various sources such as; Journals, textbooks, monographs and the internet.The paper has found out that industrial agglomeration has impacted negatively on the immediate environment, in form of pollution, traffic problems, over crowding and increase crime rate. The research also reveals that the firms have not done enough to curtail these environmental problems. The paper recommends that government should enforce environmental laws strictly on these firms, in order to annihilate or reduced these negative impacts on the environment. These firms should also be educated on the needs to accept innovation and replace obsolete equipments.