Topographical Map Revision for Sustainable Land Administration and Socioeconomic Development: A Case Study of Ogbomoso Town, Nigeria

Abstract

Sustainable land administration system serves as a basis for generating economic development, social coherence and effective land planning. Unavailability of up-to-date topographical maps in African countries is an impediment to the development of an effective land administrative system. Some towns and cities in Nigeria covered by the 1:50,000 topographical maps produced by Federal Surveys some decades ago are out-dated and unsuitable for land planning and socioeconomic development. The study employed geospatial technology to revise the existing 1:50,000 topographical map covering Ogbomoso and its environs to aid land planning and decision making by the government. Methodology adopted for the study involved scanning and digitizing the existing topographical map in ArcGIS, updating the planimetric details with Google earth image while SRTM was used as elevation data. Products generated from the topographical database in ArcGIS included contour map, Digital Elevation Model, stream/river network, road network, town/city expansion map. The study recommended that government at all levels should partner with research institutions to update the existing 1:50,000 topographical maps in the country for effective planning and decision making.