A Decade Assessments of Maiduguri Urban Expansion (2002 – 2012): Geospatial Approach
For almost a decade now, Maiduguri urban has been faced with security challenges which were believed to have negatively affected the growth and expansion of the city, hence the need for proper assessment of the rate and pattern of the urban expansion within the last one decade. Google images of 2002 and 2012 of Maiduguri urban were downloaded from the Google Earth Pro, the images were then referenced, classified and reclass into four main classes of undeveloped areas, developed areas, water body and bare surfaces. The area module of the Idrisi Andes was then used to calculate the area of the classes of the re-classed images. The calculated areas were then used to derive the trends, magnitudes and the annual changes of the urban during the study period, while the image calculator module of the Idrisi Andes was used to delineate the actual places where built-up existed between 2002 and 2012. The study revealed that a total land area of 15.1km2 was occupied with built-up within the decade. It was also revealed that most of the expansion in the urban took place at the periphery of the urban notably, the University and its environs, Baga road, Bulumkutu/ Ngomari area, the land area between Biu and Damboa road as well as some areas in old Maiduguri. It was recommended that constant urban monitoring should be undertaken by the government so as to have an in-depth idea of the rate and pattern of urban growth for proper planning and sustainable development.
