Urban Heat Island Trends Across Southwestern Nigeria Using Modis (2013–2020)

Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) are intensified in Nigeria’s rapidly expanding cities. This paper uses MODIS satellite data (MOD11A2 for Land Surface Temperature and MOD13A2 for NDVI) to explore urban thermal behavior in Akure, Ondo, Osogbo, and Benin City over 2013–2020, during dry and wet seasons. The aim is to examine changes in surface temperature and vegetation over time across the four cities, identify high-temperature zones, and determine how vegetation helps reduce heat in urban areas. Google Earth Engine was used to process the MODIS land surface temperature and vegetation datasets. Land Surface Temperature was analysed by extracting daytime LST values and computing monthly and annual means for each city. Vegetation conditions were assessed using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, and mean NDVI values were calculated to show the level of vegetation cover across the study area. To estimate Urban Heat Island intensity, the difference between the mean urban LST and the mean LST of surrounding rural areas was computed. Zonal statistics were used to summarize LST and NDVI values for each city boundary, while heat-zone maps were generated by classifying surface temperatures into categories such as low, moderate, and high heat zones. This approach enabled the identification of temperature hotspots and the evaluation of vegetation’s moderating influence on urban temperatures. LST increased steadily, especially in dry seasons, with Benin and Ondo recording the highest values. NDVI declined across all cities, with Benin showing the greatest vegetation loss. Hot zones (≥307.15 K) expanded to a spatial extent, while Akure maintained resilience due to stronger vegetation buffers. Knowledge Management Practices, Constraints and Strategic Implications in Quantity Surveying Firms: