Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Urban Sprawl in Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria (1986–2021): A GIS-Based Analysis

The rapid, often unplanned expansion of a city into surrounding rural or undeveloped land remained a daunting challenge in developing countries like Nigeria. We examined urban sprawl in Enugu Metropolis, from 1986 to 2021, using multi-temporal Landsat imagery classified using maximum likelihood estimation. Resultant maps were overlaid with 19 locality boundaries to extract built-up area extents at five-year intervals. Sprawl was quantified using the Shannon Diversity Index, patch density, and land consumption rate. Built-up area expanded dramatically from 1,558.71 ha (4.21%) in 1986 to 23,118.52 ha (62.45%) in 2021, while forest cover declined from 29,876.58 ha (80.71%) to 3,331.73 ha (9.00%). Shannon Diversity Index values for 2021 ranged from 0.306 in New Haven (compact) to 1.096 in Akwuke (dispersed), against an upper bound of log(n) = 1.279. ANOVA confirmed significant spatial variation in sprawl patterns (F = 40.63, p < 0.001), though the overall degree of sprawl across the study period was not statistically significant (t = 1.54, df = 18, p = 0.141). Forest loss and urban expansion showed a strong inverse relationship (r = -0.94, p < 0.001), confirming deforestation as a principal consequence of sprawl. Enforceable land use planning is urgently recommended for rapidly urbanising African cities.

Urban sprawl, Shannon Diversity Index, Patch density, GIS, Remote sensing

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