Land Use and Land Cover Changes: A Case Study in Nigeria

Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) assessment is vital for achieving sustainable ecosystems. This study quantified and mapped the spatiotemporal LULC changes in Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria, between 2015 and 2023. The LULC was classified into water, forest or thick bush, sparse vegetation, built-up, and bare land using Landsat images. Processing, classification, and image analysis were done using the ESRI ArcGIS Pro 3.3. LULC changed from 2015 to 2023, with built-up areas and sparse vegetation increasing by 138.2 km2 and 28.7 km2, respectively. In contrast, forest or thick bush, which had the greatest change among the LULC classes, decreased by 153.7 km2 over this period while bare land and water bodies decreased by 9.5 km2 and 3.8 km2, respectively. Forest or thick bush (201.0 km2) was converted to sparse vegetation, which reflects an increase in agricultural activities in the region. The conversion of about 109.8 km2 of vegetation and 3.7 km2 of water bodies to built-up areas highlights considerable urbanization. Overall, the increase in the built-up area highlights the need for sustainable land use practices to balance urban growth with ecological preservation, achievable through effective management and policy frameworks.