TEMPORAL CHANGES IN LAND USE LAND COVER OF BAUCHI METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

Abstract

Like all urban areas, Bauchi metropolis, northeast, Nigeria is experiencing land use and land cover changes due to land consumption for its expansion. Despite the relevance of these changes to urban planning for sustainable development, they are not prioritized in the management of the expansion of the town. This study profiled the decadal history of the changes in built-up, bare surfaces, farmland, and vegetation of the metropolis from 1993 to 2023. Data for the study were derived from Landsat satellite images using ArcGIS 10.7 and IDRISI 17.0 Software packages. While built-up and bare surfaces increased by 643.836 ha and 60.561 ha respectively, farmland and vegetation decreased by 162.437 ha and 541.963 ha respectively. This pattern of change, if sustained, will have negative environmental and socioeconomic consequences, especially on food security and climate change. The government should build capacities of urban planning agencies to effectively manage the expansion of the built-up cover, activate and prioritize control measures for the depletion of vegetation, and encourage the adoption of smart agricultural practices.