Lagos, like most other coastal cities is associated with many of the consequences of such ecological
relationships, which include physical alterations and destruction of coastal habitats, flooding, erosion, pollution
and continued threats from rising sea levels. Thus, in order to ensure sustainable coastal area management,
techniques are required that provide cost effective means for mapping and monitoring landcover change and
impacts. In this study, the aim was to evaluate the attendant socio-economic and environmental implications
of the changing pattern of landcover change associated with the Lagos coastal zone. The observed (1986-2002)
and predicted (2002-2027) rapid and continuing landcover change in the Lagos coastal area have multifarious
implications on the residents and inhabitants of the area and on the entire Lagos residents in general; which
is a consequence of the multiple impacts (positive and negative) that affect the ability of biological systems to
support human needs. Some of the positive impacts of landuse/cover change include the continued increase
in food and fibre production, resource use efficiency, wealth, livelihood security, welfare and human well-being.
However, the undesirable and negative impacts of landcover change include massive alterations of
biogeochemical cycles (e.g. nitrogen, carbon and water), ecosystem processes, earth-atmosphere interactions,
loss of biodiversity and soil degradation at different spatial and temporal scales. For instance, the expansion
of the developed landcover into the swamp landcover type would have destructive consequence on the
ecological biodiversity of the area and an attendant reduction in the livelihood of those that depend on these
vegetal resources.