GIS-based land suitability analysis using AHP for urban facilities provision in Minna

Uncontrolled development, inter-urban migration and rural-urban migration in contemporary cities are major cause of urbansprawl and city decay, infrastructural deterioration, loss of open spaces, and lose of environmental quality. These scenariosput pressure on available facilities which results in overstretch of these facilities and consequent collapse. Minna city isidentified with these urban problems. Adequate facilities provision in urban areas is vital in the comfort of life of urbandwellers, and as a matter of fact promotes urban grown and identity of a city. The study aims at evaluating the urban landsuitability for the provision of facilities. In attempt to achieve the stated aim, the existing land use pattern of Minna wereexamined with the use of GIS and remote sensing, the spatial information of the study area were obtained as regards to theslope and topographical elevation of Minna area from satellite images and digital elevation maps, the land suitability wasevaluated through the AHP method using set of criteria involving geophysical which are: Land use/land cover, elevation, slopeand rock. Results of this study revealed that Minna is expanding uncontrollably to the fringe. It was also discovered that thecity core areas are more served with adequate facilities than the peripheral areas and geographical factors also affect facilitydelivery It shows that Minna can be divided into four suitable categories of suitability zones. The findings further reveal thatthe highly suitable and medium suitable areas for urban growth covers about 82% of the whole area, while low and poorlysuitable areas cover about 16% of the whole area. Based on findings from the study, development in Minna city is expandingto the fringes, hence the need for provision of more facilities in these areas. Government and planning agencies should keeptrack of urban growth of the city. Proper development control policies should be put in place to guide development and tocheck urban sprawl.