Evaluation of the socio-economic impact of landcover / landuse changes in Owerri Municipal, Imo State, Nigeria using remote sensing and geographic information systems

The study aimed at evaluating the socio-economic impact of landcover / landuse changes in Owerri Municipal, Imo State, Nigeria using remote sensing and GIS with a view to improving the quality of life and social development through its objectives; to identify the changes of the landcover and landuse pattern of the study area for a period of 30 years i.e. 1987 to 2002 to 2017, to evaluate the socio-economic and environmental impact of these changes and to predict future impact of landcover / landuse changes in the study area. The methodology adopted in this study involved sourcing of satellite data from United States Geological Survey (USGS) for the period of years under study, social survey in Owerri Municipal Area for socio-economic impact monitoring. ArcGIS 10.5 and QGIS 2.9 software were used for data processing, analysis and presentation. The study observed a significant increase in built-up area from 1987 (34%) to 2017 (65%), on the contrary, there was a noticeable decrease in the class of bare land (26% to 12%) and vegetation. (37% to 15%) followed by water body which kept fluctuating as result of rainfall. Rapid population growth triggered by rural urban migration coupled with hasty socio-economic development were the main drivers of these changes. Results showed that remote sensing and GIS approach are recommended for further studies as the tools are efficient for landcover/landuse mapping.