Geomorphic Resources and Tourism Potentials of the Niger-Benue Confluence Area, Central Nigeria

Onema Adojoh^1, and Silas Dada²

¹University of Liverpool, School of Environmental Sciences, L69 7ZT, UK

²Department of Geology Kwara State University,Malete, PMB 1530 Ilorin, Nigeria

Cite this paper

Onema Adojoh and Silas Dada. Geomorphic Resources and Tourism Potentials of the Niger-Benue Confluence Area, Central Nigeria. Journal of Geosciences and Geomatics. 2015; 3(2):44-49. doi: 10.12691/JGG-3-2-3

Abstract

An aerial view of the confluence of Rivers Niger and Benue at Lokoja in Central Nigeria presents a remarkable picturesque and touristique attraction. In addition, the Campano- Maastrichtian Agbaja (375m), Patti (420m) and Aforo (510m) plateaux which have been preserved by the lateritized iron capping host the underlying oolitic and pisolitic ironstones, water springs and by their relief constitute locations of touristic attraction and ideal field laboratories for general and engineering geology studies; particularly with several road cuttings opened up by road construction activities. The plateaux slope into Precambrian, which hosts Banded Iron Formation and marble deposits to the west and the Maastrichtian coaliferous deposits of the northern Anambra Basin to the east. The on-going dredging of the River Niger with its inland port for commercial transportation and the planned petroleum refinery in the area calls for adequate planning to achieve sustainable human activities that should lead to economic growth and the development of the tourism industry. The latter has enormous implication in attracting investment that can lead to the repositioning of the extractive industry in an area of such great potential.

Keywords

geomorphic resources, rivers Niger and Benue, tourism, sustainable development, Lokoja

Copyright

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