NEIGHBORHOOD-SCALE ANALYSIS OF URBAN GROWTH AND LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION IN RIKKOS AND LAMINGO, JOS NORTH, NIGERIA USING REMOTE SENSING AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS)

Rapid urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa is changing land use and land cover (LULC) patterns, with significant implications for ecological sustainability and spatial planning. This study assessed LULC dynamics in Rikkos and Lamingo, Plateau State, Nigeria, between 2014 and 2024, to understand spatial patterns of urbanization and land degradation. Multi-temporal Landsat 8 OLI imageries (30 m spatial resolution) were analyzed using supervised classification (maximum likelihood algorithm) and post-classification comparison within a GIS framework. Five major LULC categories: built-up, farmland, vegetation, rock outcrop, and water body were identified and classified. The classification achieved an overall accuracy of 94.2% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.90, confirming its strong reliability. Results revealed a substantial increase in built-up areas (+54.13%) and rock outcrops (+414.77%), largely at the expense of farmland (−37.43%) and vegetation (−50.15%), while water body showed minor change (−13.73%). These shifts reflect intense anthropogenic pressure, rapid urban expansion, and progressive land degradation. The study emphasizes the pressing need for integrated land-use planning, afforestation, and the reclamation of degraded areas to foster sustainable environmental management and enhance ecosystem resilience. The findings provide a spatial basis for policy formulation aimed at curbing uncontrolled land conversion in rapidly urbanizing regions of sub-Saharan Africa.