This study interrogated the compulsory acquisition and compensation as tools for advancing public infrastructure in Nigeria, but which often generates complex challenges that persist long after initial payments, as exemplified in the second Niger Bridge project. It highlighted inadequacies in Nigeria’s post compensation framework leaving displaced persons and affected communities struggling to recover socially, economically and psychologically. The objective was to investigate this post compensation challenges. An empirical method drawing on geospatial analysis, administrative records and field verification was adopted. Findings revealed significant disparities between compensation paid and the prevailing market values of acquired properties, with losses reportedly reaching 28.6% in Obosi and 57.9% in Atani. It was further noted that compensation delays ranging from 28 to 68 months had eroded livelihoods, disrupting farming, trading, and education. Replacement and restitution measures were described as inadequate, with only 25.3% of affected boreholes and 33.3% of damaged schools restored, while resettlement housing completion remained below 50% across all sites. The study reported severe socioeconomic dislocation: 71% of Oko Amakom farmers abandoned agriculture, 68% of Atani residents migrated for employment, and school enrolments in Okwe/Oko-Amakom declined by 46.6%. Psychosocial distress was also highlighted, with Asaba-Okwe communities recording 60 cases of depression, and access to legal redress remaining limited, as less than 30% of disputes were resolved and only 20.9% of displaced households accessed legal aid. Overall, the findings emphasized that Nigeria’s current compensation system, while addressing acquisition, failed to guarantee effective restitution, livelihood recovery, and social stability for displaced communities. The study therefore recommended the implementation of a more inclusive and equitable compensation framework, supported by institutional reforms, to ensure that infrastructure development does not perpetuate vulnerability and impoverishment among affected populations.
Keywords: Compensation, Compulsory acquisition, Displacement, Infrastructure, resettlement
