Urban Biodiversity Assessment and Green Infrastructure Planning in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory

This study assesses urban biodiversity in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, located in the North Central geopolitical zone, and develops evidence-based recommendations for biodiversity-sensitive green infrastructure planning. Abuja's rapid expansion is progressively fragmenting the remnant savanna and gallery forest habitats within the city, and formal biodiversity assessment to inform urban planning is absent. A systematic urban biodiversity survey was conducted at 50 sites distributed across the urban core, residential districts, and peri-urban areas, covering birds, herpetofauna, butterflies, and vascular plants. Site characteristics including land cover, connectivity to natural habitats, imperviousness, and vegetation structure were mapped using high-resolution satellite imagery. Urban green spaces retaining native woody vegetation supported significantly higher biodiversity across all taxa than amenity grass lawns. Biodiversity hotspots were identified in three peri-urban gallery forest patches that served as source populations for urban wildlife communities. A spatial connectivity analysis revealed that 12 of 50 surveyed green spaces had no connectivity to natural habitat patches, creating biodiversity sinks. The study delivers a Green Infrastructure Biodiversity Strategy for Abuja recommending native tree species planting, minimum green space standards for new residential developments, protection of the three identified peri-urban hotspots, and connectivity planting along river corridor greenways. The strategy is designed for adoption by the Federal Capital Development Authority Urban Planning Department. Keywords: urban biodiversity, green infrastructure, Abuja, biodiversity planning, FCT.