Authors : Ani D. Chinedu; Charles Emeka Abaekih; Abaekih Ifeyinwa Stella

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 6 - June

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/2j74pcuf

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/yms7yvcc

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jun939

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : This study examines the spatio-temporal dynamics and drivers of land use and land cover change in the Onitsha section of the Nkisi River Watershed over a forty-year period using a quasi-experimental research design that integrates satellite imagery, GIS techniques, and statistical analysis. The findings reveal a clear transition from a predominantly vegetated landscape to a more urbanized environment, largely driven by human activities. Built-up areas expanded significantly, while vegetation declined, with urban growth concentrated along transport corridors and near the Nkisi River. Socio-economic factors such as trading, farming, poverty, and unemployment were identified as major drivers of land use change, alongside population growth, infrastructure development, and weak regulatory enforcement. Human activities, particularly construction, vegetation removal, bush burning, poor drainage, and sand mining, were also strongly linked to increased erosion. The interaction between land use change, soil characteristics, and topographic factors has intensified erosion across the watershed, resulting in uneven but severe soil loss, mostly human-induced land transformation shaping land use patterns and accelerating environmental degradation, with significant implications for ecosystem stability and local livelihoods.

Keywords : Spatio-Temporal Dynamics, Drivers of Land Use/Land Cover Change, Nkisi River Watershed.

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