Digital Modelling and Updating of Land Use of Benue State University, Makurdi Main Campus, Benue State, Nigeria

The growing need for efficient land administration, infrastructure management, and sustainable campus development has increased the application of geospatial technologies in land information management. This study focused on the digital modelling and updating of land use information for Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi Main Campus, Benue State, Nigeria, using geospatial techniques. Data utilized for the study included an existing campus layout plan obtained from the University Physical Planning Unit, high-resolution satellite imagery, and field data acquired using a Garmin GPS receiver. Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques were employed for image georeferencing, feature digitization, spatial database development, spatial analysis, and three-dimensional (3D) modelling. An updatable geodatabase consisting of land use parcels, buildings, roads, utility facilities, communication infrastructure, and green areas was developed in ArcGIS 10.8. The efficiency of the geodatabase was evaluated using Structured Query Language (SQL)-based attribute and spatial queries. Results showed that the developed geodatabase contained 162 land use parcels and over 350 building records classified into educational, administrative, residential, commercial, recreational, utility, and mixed-use categories. Query operations successfully retrieved selected land use classes and infrastructure facilities, demonstrating the functionality and efficiency of the database for information management and decision-making. Furthermore, a realistic three-dimensional model of campus buildings and infrastructure was generated using building height attributes integrated into the database. The study demonstrates that GIS-based digital modelling and updating of land use information provide a reliable framework for land administration, infrastructure monitoring, campus planning, and sustainable development. The developed geodatabase provides an efficient and updatable platform for future land use monitoring and institutional planning within the university environment.