Street Trading and Urban Distortion: Rethinking Impacts and Management Approaches from Urban Planners’ Perspective in Enugu City, Nigeria

This study investigates the relationship between street trading and urban planning in Enugu City Nigeria within the expanding informal economy of the global South It particularly focuses on the perspectives of urban planners regarding the impacts and management of street trading The research employed a mixedmethod approach including personal observation questionnaires and indepth interviews analyzed through basic statistical methods Findings reveal that urban planners recognize the socioeconomic importance and cultural relevance of street trading despite its negative spatial externalities Contrary to prevailing assumptions planners favour negotiated solutions over forced evictions This study highlights the need for inclusive urban planning practices that accommodate the socioeconomic benefits of street trading while addressing its challenges contributing to the discourse on sustainable urban development