THE DYNAMICS OF LAND USE CHANGES IN OYO TOWN 1993 TO 2023

Oyo town, like many rapidly growing urban areas in Nigeria, has experienced significant land use transformations over the past three decades due to population growth, urbanization, and socio-economic development. While these changes have stimulated economic activities, they have also led to uncoordinated development, informal settlements, and inadequate transport planning. This study therefore examined the pattern and extent of land use and land cover changes in Oyo town between 1993 and 2023. The specific objectives were to: (i) classify and map the major land use categories within the study area; (ii) quantify the areal extent of each land use class across the selected years; and (iii) analyze the implications of these changes on urban growth and mobility patterns. The study adopted a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) approach, utilizing Landsat imageries of 1993, 2003, 2013, and 2023. Supervised classification techniques were employed to categorize the land use types into built-up areas, farmland, vegetation, water bodies, and bare surfaces. The classified maps were validated and analyzed to determine the rate and magnitude of spatial transitions within the 30-year period. Findings revealed that in 1993, Oyo was predominantly rural, with forests covering 51% (153,714.15 ha) and farmlands 41% (124,796.17 ha), while built-up areas occupied only 1% (2,534.94 ha). By 2023, built-up areas had expanded markedly to 38% (114,324.4 ha), whereas forest and farmland declined to 26% (78,464.16 ha) and 16% (49,660.74 ha), respectively. This rapid urban expansion has resulted in increased informal settlements, congestion, and dependency on motorcycles for daily commuting. The study concluded that Oyo has undergone extensive urbanization at the expense of agricultural and forest land. It recommended among others, integrated urban and transport planning, strict land use policy enforcement, and public awareness on sustainable development practices.