Dynamics of Built-Up Areas and Challenges of Planning and Development of Urban Zone of Greater Lomé in Togo, West Africa

The expansion of African cities leads to the occupation of peripheral urban areas without respecting planning rules. The Greater Lome (Togo) is no exception to this phenomenon of high-speed horizontal spreading, which causes recurrent flooding. The objective of this research is to understand the spatio-temporal changes in the dynamics of built-up areas in Greater Lome. The methodology used is based on the analysis of Landsat images from the years 2007, 2012, 2016, and 2020 coupled with direct field observations and a literature review. The results showed an increase in residential areas to the detriment of the other land use/cover types. Estimated at 15,481 ha in 2007, the built-up area reached 35,521 ha in 2020, an increase of 33% to the detriment of vegetation and cultivation areas. This increase was marked by constructions in the floodplain of the Zio River. The field surveys revealed an increase in the density of most of the agglomerations. From 1863 ha in 2007, they increased to 14,485 ha in 2020, an increase of 12,622 ha or approximately 33%. These results indicate that attention needs to be paid to both the planning and control of the development of spaces in the outlying areas of Greater Lome.