Spatial Patterns of Urban Heat Islands in Lagos Metropolis Using Landsat Thermal Data

Urban heat islands (UHI) are among the most spatially significant manifestations of urbanisation-driven climate modification, creating localised thermal anomalies that elevate energy demand, worsen air quality, and disproportionately affect low-income residents in densely built environments. This study maps and analyses UHI spatial patterns in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria's largest city and economic capital in the South West geopolitical zone, using Landsat 8 thermal infrared sensor data acquired across eight cloud-free scenes between 2020 and 2024. Land Surface Temperature (LST) was retrieved using the split-window algorithm and correlated with land cover types derived from concurrent multispectral band classification. Spatial statistics including Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) were applied to identify statistically significant thermal clusters. Results identify intense heat island cores in Oshodi-Isale, Lagos Island central business district, Ikorodu industrial corridor, and Mushin, where LST values consistently exceed surrounding temperatures by 5 to 8 degrees Celsius. Negative correlation between LST and NDVI (r = -0.76) confirms that vegetative cover exerts the strongest cooling effect in the metropolitan landscape. Commercial and industrial land uses with high albedo roofing and minimal canopy cover generate the highest thermal intensities. The study recommends urban greening strategies including mandatory tree planting in building permit approvals, cool roof retrofitting programmes, and the restoration of urban riparian corridors as sustainable UHI mitigation measures. Keywords: urban heat island, land surface temperature, Lagos, remote sensing, South West Nigeria.