Abstract:Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to examine residents' perception of development control activities in three capital cities in Nigeria (Ibadan, Osogbo and Ado-Ekiti). This came about based on the recognition that jumble development hinders economic and environmental sustainability in cities. The perception study becomes imperative since perception is adjudged a tool for proffering solution to different problems in the different human endeavours and a method of getting policy information from the people that will be eventual subjects of the policy. Design/methodology/approach-The study used household survey through questionnaire administration. The three capital cities were stratified into local government areas (LGAs). One local government area was selected in each of the cities. Due to homogeneity of the cities in the nomenclature of political wards, two political wards were selected in each of the local government in the capital cities. Across the cities, a total of 223 residents were systematically sampled on which the designed questionnaires were administered. Findings -The study revealed that residents agreement and satisfaction with function of development control agencies decreases with the age of the city. Impliedly the age of the city is inversely proportional to residents' agreement and satisfaction with development control activities. The study concluded that economic and environmental sustainability of cities is dependents on citizens' embracement of development control activities. Research implications -The study is capable of generating hypotheses for future research in the area of environmental studies, especially in the global south. Practical implications -The findings and recommendations of this study can provide information on future policy making, review and implementation on development control and other related issues in environmental studies both in the cities and others with similar setting.

This study assessed residents’ perception and response to development control activities in Ibadan and Akure Nigeria. This was with a view to suggesting policy a response capable of enhancing orderly control of development in the cities and others with similar background. A local government was selected in each of the two cities. This is followed by the selection of two wards in each of the selected local governments across the two cities. In the four selected wards, every 20th residential building was sampled sequel to listing of buildings based on street numbering system and counting of buildings where houses were not numbered. For the study, 106 residents were sampled on whom questionnaires were administered. This sample comprised 55 respondents in Ibadan and 51 residents in Akure. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that demolition exercise was the major source of awareness of development control activities across the two cities. However, there were differences in residents’ perception of roles of development control agencies in Ibadan and Akure. The study also found that majority of the residents across the two cities do not have survey plans neither do they prepare building plans before embarking on construction. This study established the divergent views on satisfaction with conduct of development control activities among residents of Ibadan and Akure. The study recommended that development control agencies in the two cities should cultivate a cordial relationship with the residents in order to motivate them to fulfil land administration requirements before embarking on construction exercises.