The Impact of Population Growth on Land Use/Land Cover Change in Kanam LGA, Plateau State, Nigeria.
Author
Hyelpamduwa Yaro, Nasiru Aliyu, Jibrin Abubakar Babayo, Itse Atang, Muhammed Samaila, Lakong Timring Wuyep, Ishaku Andrew
Abstract
Rapid population growth in Nigeria has placed significant pressure on natural resources, leading to observable changes in Land Use and Land Cover (LULC). This study investigates the impact of population growth on LULC change in Kanam Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria, between 1996 and 2026. Kanam LGA has experienced increasing demand for agricultural land, settlement expansion, and resource extraction, largely driven by demographic pressure and socio-economic activities. The study employed Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. Multi-temporal Landsat satellite imagery for the years 1996 to 2026 were acquired, classified, and analyzed to detect LULC changes. Supervised classification was used to categorize the area into five major classes: built-up area, vegetation, farmland, bare surface and water body. Population data from the National Population Commission and field surveys were used to correlate demographic trends with observed LULC changes. Accuracy assessment was conducted to validate the classification results. Findings reveal a significant increase in built-up areas by 268.01%, while the remaining declined by -58.13%, -14.46%, -4.96% and -10.59% respectively over the 30-year period. The results indicate a strong positive correlation between population growth and the expansion of settlements and farmlands, at the expense of natural vegetation. The study concludes that population growth is a major driver of LULC change in Kanam LGA. It recommends integrated land use planning, afforestation programs and sustainable agricultural practices to mitigate environmental degradation and ensure sustainable development in the area.
Keywords
Population Growth, Land Use Change, Land Cover Change, GIS, Remote Sensing, Geospatial Analysis, Kanam LGA, Plateau State, Nigeria.
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