Application of Geospatial Techniques in Monitoring Urbanization, Sustainable Development, and Good Governance in South-Eastern Nigeria

Rapid urbanization in South-Eastern Nigeria has brought both opportunities and challenges for sustainable development and governance. The uncontrolled growth of cities has resulted in environmental degradation, poor infrastructure planning, and spatial inequalities. This study applies geospatial techniques—specifically Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)—to monitor urban expansion, assess its implications for sustainability, and explore how spatial data can strengthen evidence-based governance. Multi-temporal satellite images (e.g., Landsat 2000, 2010, and Sentinel-2 2020) will be analyzed to detect land-use/land-cover (LULC) changes across selected urban areas such as Enugu, Aba, and Owerri. The study will further relate these spatial patterns to indicators of sustainable development (e.g., access to green space, infrastructure distribution, waste management zones) and governance outcomes (e.g., urban planning effectiveness, transparency in land administration). Findings will demonstrate how geospatial tools can support data-driven decision-making toward achieving sustainable and inclusive urban growth in South-Eastern Nigeria.