The encroachment of urbanization on agricultural land: a spatial and temporal analysis of farmland use change in Lokoja (1992 to 2032)

Rapid urban expansion in Nigerian cities has placed sustained pressure on peri-urban agricultural land, with significant implications for food security, rural livelihoods, and environmental stability. This study examines the spatial and temporal dynamics of farmland use change in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, over the period from 1992 to 2022, and projects the trajectory of change to 2032. A mixed-methods design was adopted, integrating remote sensing and geographic information system te