Since Abuja became Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory in 1976; it has been experiencing rapid
expansion, urbanization and significant changes in its physical landscape. This study used Remote
sensing and GIS techniques to identify, mark and measure the extent of change in the various land
uses from the Landsat imageries of 1987 and 2001, and Nigeriasat-1 imagery of 2006. The study
revealed that while built-up area increased, vegetation cover decreased at an alarming rate. Using
population figures of the study area for 1987, 2001 and 2006, the Land Consumption Rate (LCR) and
Land Absorption Coefficient (LAC) were determined. Increasing population and expansion in the
Federal Capital City (FCC) resulted in land degradation including loss of vegetal cover, indiscriminate
waste disposal, contamination of surface water, etc. now clearly visible in the FCC. In view of the
important role that vegetation plays as a carbon sink, policy-makers are requested to strictly enforce
the existing laws on afforestation and parks establishment and other measures, within and around the
FCC in order to achieve a sustainable urban growth and development.