The Implication of Urban Spatial Expansion on the Socio-Economic Development in Obala, Cameroon

The rapid population increase in world cities, not excluding Africa and sub-Saharan African cities has had a considerable effect both on the space occupation and on the inhabitants themselves. Cameroon in general and Obala town in particular have witnessed a rapid increase in their population. Such a rapid increase has opened flood gates for land grabbing, creating problems including inadequate electricity supply, the absence of portable water, insecurity, and anarchy in construction. It is in furtherance of these issues that this paper seeks to examine the trend of urban spatial expansion and its implications for socio-economic development in the town of Obala. The research made use of secondary source data (published articles, reports, and theses). Primary source data was sourced from the administration of 116 questionnaires, some of which selected 13 quarters of the Obala urban space. Interviews and focus group discussions were organised with the objective of gathering information in Obala. To determine the rate of urban spatial expansion, a time series analysis of the years 1987, 2004, and 2020 was conducted with the use of multiple temporal Landsat satellite images. The result reveals that migration (immigration), the rehabilitation of the National Road, and the searches for employment opportunities have accelerated the urban spatial expansion in Obala. That is why urban space increased from 7.01% in 1987 to 9.01% in 2004, and in 2020, it hit 16.9%. In the social domain, the extension of electric poles and the construction of health centres and educational facilities have moved forward. In the economic domain, the emergence of commercial institutions (banks), market installations, and an increase in investment rates have increased the magnitude of economic activities in Obala.