Abstract

The research examined the trend in land use changes within the last 30years (1993 – 2023) from a decade and half when the State was created. Data were gathered through structured questionnaires distributed to 220 property owners and tenants in the study zone, as well as 25 active Estate Surveying and Valuation firms in Akure, as identified in the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers directory for the year 2022. Data were also collected from satellite imageries available on the USGS website covering various dates within the period in consideration. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency distribution tables and arithmetic mean) and inferential statistics (Kruskal-Wallis H test), satellite imageries, remote sensing techniques, GIS and maps were used. The result of the study revealed that while residential land use continues to decline within the time period, commercial land use is on the increase and dominates among all other land uses in the study area. Its transformation from residential uses reveals a pull down and redevelopment pattern among others such as change of use, alteration and conversion. Kruskal-Wallis H Test revealed that there is no statistically significant difference in the choice of patterns of land transformation among the three independent respondents; it was recommended that the planning agency should plan ahead to control and accommodate the growth of the city core.

Key Words: Land, Land Use Change, Land Administration, Geographical Information System, Remote Sensing, Land Policy, Land Use Pattern, Redevelopment