Applications of Space Technology for the Assessment of Slum Development

This study analyzes the physical and demographic characteristics of slums in the North Central Geopolitical Zone (NCGPZ). The first stage involved satellite image classification and the second phase involved slum mapping using MapFlow visual interpretation. Over 300 slum locations were identified, mostly within urban areas such as Abuja, Nasarawa State, Minna, Lokoja, Jos, and Makurdi. Slum areas are characterized by overcrowding, substandard housing, poor sanitation, unauthorized waste disposal, and limited access to basic services. In Nasarawa State, slums are prevalent along the Nasarawa-Abuja highway and Karu. These areas are highlighted as rapidly growing urban areas with inadequate infrastructure. Similar conditions were found in other states like Niger, Plateau, Kogi, Kwara, and Benue, where slums exhibit poor living conditions, lack of basic facilities, and congested road networks. The slums are home to low-income earners like civil servants, traders, and motorcycle taxi riders who cannot afford the high costs of living in planned areas. The study corroborates findings from other research (Kanayochukwu and Dogo, 2019; Kama et al, 2019) about inadequate infrastructure and poor environmental conditions in these areas. It also emphasizes the challenges posed by unplanned urban growth and the absence of essential services. The use of satellite imagery of high spatial resolution via MapFlow API helped to validate and map these slum locations, but difficulties remain in estimating population due to the irregular and dense nature of slum settlements.