Abstract
Human activity in the coastal zone often results in accelerated coastal erosion or accretion. The coastal zone of Nigeria stretches from the 20 km barrier island ridges, which abut directly with the Atlantic Ocean, through the tidal basins and creeks to the ferruginous sands of the Benin Formation. The 800 km coastline of Nigeria is witnessing accelerated erosion at some sections, while active accretion is dominant at other stretches of the coastline. The Victoria Beach in Lagos, the 50–75 km-long transgressive mud coast between the Benin River mouth and the Lekki-lagoon complex, and the mouths of the major drainage arteries of the coastal landscape are witnessing active coastal erosion. At the other end of the continuum, sections of the arcuate Niger Delta and protected reaches of shoreline are actively accreting. The problem of riverbank erosion at the mouths of the main drainage arteries of Nigeria rises from the impact of breaking swell waves on the unconsolidated materials of the riverbanks.
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Uwadiae Oyegun, C., Olanrewaju, L., Mark, O. (2023). Erosion and Accretion Along the Coastal Zone of Nigeria. In: Faniran, A., Jeje, L.k., Fashae, O.A., Olusola, A.O. (eds) Landscapes and Landforms of Nigeria. World Geomorphological Landscapes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17972-3_17
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