IMPACTS OF URBANIZATION ON LAND USE AND LAND COVER DYNAMICS IN CHANCHAGA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Given that urbanization is considered as one of the most significant anthropogenic alterations of the environmental framework.The increasing urbanization generally is brought about by many eco- environmental problems, such as the drastic change of land use and development of the area. This study Analyze the impacts of Urbanization on Land use and land cover dynamics in Chanchaga, Niger State, Nigeria. from 1993 to 2023, These were done with the view to determining the effects of changes in urban growth on land use/cover of the area. The primary data were coordinates of geographic features within the study area, collected through the use of global positioning system. The secondary data were Landsat imagery, Landsat TM/ETM & OLI imageries for three epochs (1930, 2003, and 2023). Individual components (built-up, grassland, farmlands and surface water bodies). The results revealed that the study area has been growing to a relatively compact urban cluster area. The concentration of built-up area at the western and the central part of the study area has been getting larger and more aggregated. Built-up area increased by 23.46% from 16.75 km2 (24.20%) in 1993 to 33 km2 (47.66%) in 2023 while grassland decreased by 30.48% from 55.78% in 1993 to 25.30% in 2023. The land cover trend of the study area from the period of 1993-2023 shows dramatic changes for the dominant land cover types. Findings show that uncontrolled developmental activities contribute significantly to environmental deterioration in the study area. Hence, there is need to implement and enforce sustainable development methods, effective monitoring of urban growth activities through strict adherence to master plan of the city.

Given that urbanization is considered as one of the most significant anthropogenic alterations of the environmental framework.The increasing urbanization generally is brought about by many eco- environmental problems, such as the drastic change of land use and development of the area. This study Analyze the impacts of Urbanization on Land use and land cover dynamics in Chanchaga, Niger State, Nigeria. from 1993 to 2023, These were done with the view to determining the effects of changes in urban growth on land use/cover of the area. The primary data were coordinates of geographic features within the study area, collected through the use of global positioning system. The secondary data were Landsat imagery, Landsat TM/ETM & OLI imageries for three epochs (1930, 2003, and 2023). Individual components (built-up, grassland, farmlands and surface water bodies). The results revealed that the study area has been growing to a relatively compact urban cluster area. The concentration of built-up area at the western and the central part of the study area has been getting larger and more aggregated. Built-up area increased by 23.46% from 16.75 km2 (24.20%) in 1993 to 33 km2 (47.66%) in 2023 while grassland decreased by 30.48% from 55.78% in 1993 to 25.30% in 2023. The land cover trend of the study area from the period of 1993-2023 shows dramatic changes for the dominant land cover types. Findings show that uncontrolled developmental activities contribute significantly to environmental deterioration in the study area. Hence, there is need to implement and enforce sustainable development methods, effective monitoring of urban growth activities through strict adherence to master plan of the city.