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Purpose This paper furthered the work done by Choguill (1996) in developing a framework for community participation in housing provision for Akure, Southwest Nigeria. The study tests the ladder for suitability in the City, and accounted for residential satisfaction as an important result of resident’s participation, which was not considered in Choguill’s ladder. Design/methodology/approach The paper reports a cross-sectional doctoral research on residents’ participation in housing in Akure. The data for this study were obtained through questionnaire and focus group discussions. Data was analysed using Spearman’s Rank Correlation and Content Analysis. Findings The findings show a significant positive relationship between the levels of participation and satisfaction. Though similar to the levels of participation, Choguill’s Ladder does not totally explain the phenomenon of participation in the study area. Thus, it was modified to be more appropriate and suitable for the study area, also accounting for residential satisfaction. Practical implications The findings imply that adoption of the new ladder by policy makers and professionals in the building sector would enhance residential satisfaction in the study area and in similar areas. It concludes that the knowledge gained from this modified framework will enable policy makers and developers plan appropriately for resident’s participation in housing to achieve better residential environments for users. Originality/value The study developed a ladder of residents’ participation in housing provision from Choguill’s Framework that is more suited to Akure City and similar cities in Nigeria.

Housing provision has become a global issue as the need for affordable housing kept increasing in various communities especially in Akure, Nigeria. This has emerged due to various economic, socio-cultural and environmental factors which has increased pressure on conventional building materials thereby leading to the invention of alternative building materials. This paper looks at the barriers to the adoption of expanded polystyrene (EPS) for building construction in Akure, Nigeria. The methodology adopted elicited information through structured questionnaire which assessed the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, their level of awareness of EPS and its application in building construction, the rate at which they specify EPS for designs and construction and the hindrances to its adoption for building construction. A total of 60 questionnaires were administered on the architects in practice and in the academia environment but 45 were retrieved. This was the bases to which the conclusion of this research was made. The outcome of the research shows that lack of awareness is a key hindrance to the adoption of EPS for construction as most architects in Akure do not know much about expanded polystyrene, thereby, cannot fully decipher its qualities and/or suitability for construction. As such, most questions pertaining the durability, cost implication or client's preference could not be answered by the architects since their knowledge on the subject matter is minimal. However, those who knows about EPS confirms its flexibility, quick construction time and its environmental friendliness but stated that EPS is not readily available like other conventional materials. As such, their specification always goes towards the available materials.

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Purpose This paper is based on users’ satisfaction with housing infrastructure as a derivative of their participation in evolving the facilities from inception. The paper aims to examine optimal performance of infrastructural facilities with a view to determine the satisfaction of users in the study area. Design/methodology/approach This study reports on a cross-sectional doctoral research study on 304 household heads in the transitional and peripheral zones of Akure, Nigeria. The infrastructure studied were water supply, electricity supply, roads, drainage, waste management and security. A structured questionnaire, focus group discussions and physical observations were used. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, mean satisfaction scoring and categorical regression analysis. Findings Respondents found the infrastructural facilities in their communities to be unsatisfactory; they also indicated low levels of participation in the provision of infrastructure. Residents were most satisfied with waste management and least satisfied with water supply. The results showed a significant relationship between users’ participation and satisfaction with housing infrastructure. Practical implications The findings imply that giving adequate attention to users’ involvement in the provision process of infrastructural projects can enhance their satisfaction with infrastructure. Originality/value The study highlights the benefits of involving users in the process of providing housing infrastructure, establishing a positive relation with their satisfaction.