The study investigated seasonal variation in outdoor thermal comfort in Makurdi from 1971-2010. Daily air temperature (0C) and relative humidity (%) of the study area were obtained from Nigerian Meteorological Agency Operational Headquarters, Oshodi, Lagos. Daily thermal comfort levels were computed from the obtained data using the temperature humidity index (THI). The THI values were then summed into monthly, seasonal and annual comfort values. Correlation analysis was used to determine trend in the level of thermal comfort from 1971 to 2010. The monthly variation of THI showed the highest THI of 27.2 in April and the lowest THI of 24.7 in January. The seasonal variation of THI indicated highest THI of 26.5 during the hot dry season and the lowest THI of 25.1 during the cool dry season. The annual variation of THI showed an increasing trend from 1971-2010 with a positive correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.018. The result suggest that human discomfort is common in April while January is thermally comfortable Seasonally, the hot dry season was associated with human discomfort whereas the cool dry season is relatively comfortable. The positive annual trend of THI suggested a progressive change from human comfort to discomfort in the study area. The study concluded that measures of ameliorating human thermal discomfort should be focused principally in the months of March and April which coincides with the hot dry season to minimize the negative effects of outdoor thermal discomfort on the socio-economic development in Makurdi.

The study examined the changes in land use/land cover (LULC) in Jalingo between 1988 and 2006. Six LULC types were classified in the study area from Landsat TM image of 1988, Landsat ETM image of 1999 and NigSat image of 2006. The six LULC types were bareland, built-up, cultivation, shrubland, water body and wetland. The data were analyzed using thinning, overlay operations, calculation of the area in km2 of the resulting LULC type and LULC change matrix. The software used in the analysis are ERDAS and ILWIS 3.2.The areas of bareland, cultivation, water body, shrubland and wetland have decreased by 1.53km2 (1.6%), 19.22km2 (71%),0.15km2 (0.6%) 0.22km2 (0.81%) and1.64km2 (6.0%) from 1988 to 2006. Conversely, the area of built-up land has increased by 15.62km2 (40.2%) during the same period. Built-up land lost 11.64 km2 and gain 27.26km2 from 1988 to 2006 with the highest contribution of 19.22km2 (71%) from cultivated land. The study recommended among others, the need for appropriate legislations to be put in place to check indiscriminate sprawling. The study concludes that increase in the proportion of urban population is the principal driver of land use/land cover change in Jalingo town.