The acquistion and application of basic land use data in urban growth analysis: A case study of Metropolitan Lagos

Basic to the study of urban growth is information on population and land use changes. These basic data are generally lacking in Nigeria. This paper examines and assesses the growth of urban land use of Lagos (the Federal Capital of Nigeria) through a systematic utilization of sequential serial photographs (taken in 1962 at a scale of 1:40,000, and in 1974, at a scale of 1:20,000) and computer techniques. The land use data resulting are then used in evaluating the population growth of Lagos. The resulting population estimate is then compared with the available population data. The study concludes by recommending the use of remote sensing, especially aerial photography for the acquisition of basic urban data not only in Nigeria but also in other developing countries lacking in such data.