Mapping the Spatial Distribution of Socio-economic Facilities in Asaba Delta State

This study examined the spatial distribution of socio-economic facilities within Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria, employing geospatial techniques to assess patterns of clustering, randomness, or dispersion. The analysis focused on seven categories of facilities: financial, educational, leisure, transportation, religious, health, and security. Spatial analysis was conducted using the Average Nearest Neighbor (ANN) tool in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment to quantify spatial relationships among facility locations. Results indicated that financial, health, transportation, and security facilities exhibit statistically significant dispersion, implying strategic locational decisions. Leisure facilities displayed a clustered pattern, suggesting the influence of socio-cultural demand zones. Conversely, educational and religious facilities revealed random distributions, reflecting unregulated development or varied community-level initiatives. Overall, the integration of all facilities revealed a general pattern of randomness. These findings underscore the uneven spatial logic underpinning infrastructure planning in Asaba and highlight the need for integrative urban development strategies to ensure equitable service provision.