REMOTE SENSING AND ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY IN NIGERIA: RELEVANCE, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS  

Abstract

This study examines the relevance, challenges, and prospects of remote sensing in environmental geography in Nigeria. Remote sensing has become an important tool for observing and analyzing environmental conditions without direct contact, while environmental geography provides a framework for understanding the interaction between human activities and the physical environment. The study reveals the usefulness of remote sensing in environmental monitoring, disaster management, urban planning, agriculture, and climate change studies across different parts of Nigeria, it also reveals challenges affecting its effective use, including high cost of technology, shortage of skilled personnel, poor data accessibility, inadequate funding, weak institutional coordination, and infrastructure limitations such as unreliable power supply and internet access. the study observes positive prospects such as technological advancement, increasing availability of satellite data, growing interest from government and private sector actors, expansion of training opportunities, and integration with Geographic Information Systems and artificial intelligence. The study concludes that remote sensing is highly valuable for environmental management in Nigeria and recommends increased funding, improved training, better data access policies, and stronger collaboration among stakeholders to enhance its effective application for sustainable development.