Assessment of Shoreline Change Along the Ondo State Coastline Using Remote Sensing and GIS

Coastal erosion represents a mounting threat to communities and infrastructure along Nigeria's Atlantic coastline, with critical implications for the oil-producing states of the South South and South West zones. This study assesses shoreline change along a forty-kilometre stretch of the Ondo State coastline between 2014 and 2024 using multi-temporal Landsat 8 imagery and the Digital Shoreline Analysis System. Shoreline positions are digitised from georeferenced satellite images for three time epochs, and rates of change are computed using the end point rate and linear regression rate statistics for each transect. Ground truthing is conducted through field visits to Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Government Areas, where interview data from affected communities supplement the quantitative analysis. Results show net shoreline retreat ranging from two to twelve metres per year across different transect segments, with the most severe erosion concentrated near the Mahin Beach and Awoye community stretches. Accretion is observed only in areas downstream of existing coastal protection structures. The study identifies wave action, sea level variability, and anthropogenic sand mining as primary erosion drivers. The results are communicated to the Ondo State Bureau of Lands and the National Emergency Management Agency to support coastal zone management planning. Keywords: shoreline change, coastal erosion, DSAS, Ondo State, remote sensing.