Assessment of Urban Heat Island in the Federal Capital City, Abuja, Nigeria

This study assessed the effects of Urban Heat Island in the Federal Capital City, Abuja, Nigeria. Landsat 7 ETM and 8 OLI_TIS satellite imageries of 1999, 2014, and 2019 were used to ascertain the surface temperatures, while ambient temperatures and Carbon dioxide readings were obtained using a direct field survey. These years were chosen because they align with the availability of reliable and consistent data from sources like Landsat 7 ETM and 8 OLI_TIS. Remote sensing was used for the Land Use/Land cover, Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Normalized Differential Built-up Index (NDBI) respectively. Crosstab correlation was used to examine the relationship between Land Surface Temperature, Ambient Temperature, and Carbon dioxide. The highest surface temperature was found in bare land, followed by built-up areas. The City center exhibited higher temperature values than its surrounding suburb areas. There are changes in the spatial and temporal pattern of the effect because of urbanization. Findings indicated that urbanization is the leading cause of land cover change that affects surface temperatures in the study area. This is known to cause discomfort to the urban dwellers in the summertime. Alterations of surface area, improper urban planning, and air pollution, amongst others, are causing this increasingly growing phenomenon. It is accountable for human discomfort, human casualties, and global warming. Therefore, urban functions such as glass buildings, paved and impermeable surfaces, dark roofs, and thermal mass because of urbanization are the major causes of the UHI effect in the Federal Capital City (FCC). There is a need for proper urban planning by planting more trees, using high albedo surfaces, initiating policies and sensitization on local climate change for sustainable development.