Cadastral Mapping and Land Tenure Documentation in Peri-Urban Makurdi, Benue State

Peri-urban areas in Nigerian cities are characterised by informal settlements, contested land rights, and the absence of systematic cadastral records, creating conditions for tenure insecurity and development planning failures. This study undertakes cadastral mapping and land tenure documentation for selected peri-urban communities on the eastern fringe of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, in the North Central zone. A combination of GPS traversing, aerial photograph interpretation, and structured household surveys is employed to delineate plot boundaries, record parcel attributes, and document tenure arrangements. The cadastral data are integrated into a GIS database designed in conformity with the National Land Information System standards advocated by the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation. Findings indicate that over sixty percent of parcel occupants hold customary or informal tenure, with only a small fraction possessing statutory rights of occupancy under the Land Use Act. Overlapping claims and boundary disputes are common at the fringes of formal and informal settlement zones. The study provides a practical parcel map and attribute database that can serve as the basis for systematic land regularisation by the Benue State Ministry of Lands. It also advances undergraduate competence in participatory cadastral mapping methodologies relevant to Nigerian urban governance. Keywords: cadastral mapping, land tenure, peri-urban, Makurdi, GIS.