Assessing the socioeconomic and heterogeneous impacts of noise pollution on food markets in Akure metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

As urbanization intensifies across sub-Saharan Africa, noise pollution has emerged as a critical yet underexplored environmental and economic stressor for informal market economies. While prior studies have largely focused on the health impacts of noise, limited empirical research exists on its direct effect on market vendors’ economic performance, particularly in rapidly urbanizing African cities. This study addresses this gap by examining the socioeconomic and heterogeneous impacts of noise pollution on food markets in Akure Metropolis, Nigeria. Using primary data collected from 120 food vendors across four major markets, noise levels were measured with a sonometer, while a well-structured questionnaire captured the marketers’ socioeconomic characteristics and perceptions. Unconditional Quantile Regression (UQR) was employed to analyze the heterogeneous impacts of noise pollution on vendors’ income levels. The results show that noise pollution significantly reduces income at the 50th and 75th quantiles, while noise perception has a significant negative effect at lower income levels. The socioeconomic factors, such as sex, education, shop size, and market experience, were also found to significantly influence income levels. The study highlights the need for market zoning regulations, noise control policies, and targeted trader support programs to mitigate noise pollution’s adverse effects and promote sustainable urban commerce.