Paper Details

This study investigates the temporal dynamics of vegetation health and land cover across Borno State, Sokoto, Lagos, and Rivers State over a three-decade period from 1990 to 2020 using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data. The NDVI data, obtained from satellite imagery and remote sensing databases, were pre-processed, registered, and classified into distinct land cover classes, including very healthy vegetation, moderately healthy vegetation, unhealthy vegetation, and bare land. Change detection analysis and spatial-temporal analysis techniques were employed to identify and analyze patterns of vegetation health and land cover change over time. The results reveal significant temporal trends and spatial variations in vegetation health and land cover across the study area. In Borno State, rapid land cover change and vegetation degradation were observed, indicating environmental challenges faced by the region. Sokoto exhibited similar trends, with notable shifts in land cover classes over the three decade period. Lagos and Rivers State showed more stable patterns of vegetation health and land cover, albeit with localized areas of change. These findings provide valuable insights into the drivers of land cover change and their implications for ecosystem sustainability and resilience in the study area. The study contributes to our understanding of the impacts of climate change and human activities on vegetation dynamics and land cover transformation in Nigeria, informing evidence-based decision-making and sustainable land management practices. Keywords: NDVI, vegetation health, land cover, change detection, spatial-temporal analysis, Nigeria, climate change, sustainable land management, remote sensing, environmental monitoring