ABSTRACT
The previous studies on land use are concerned with features of development control, Land administration land and use planning each treated separately. That is by aspects of planning control, land allocation process and development control have not been covered together as components of land use management. Therefore, this study was set out to address the components of land use management together which are planning Control, Land administration and Development Control in Gwagwalada .In view of the above, The research was conducted through the information gathered from interviews of the respondents, field survey and the data was analyzed with the use of tables, figures, plates as well as descriptive analyses. The findings are poor land use management in Gwagwalada, that is, the allocation process lacks transparency, inadequate planning activities resulting into poor control development, inadequate staff, inefficient land administration resulting in land speculations and loss of revenue and also weak development controls leading to inappropriate development. The recommendations were made in three areas which are :The Gwagwadada master plan be review , revocation of all those areas allocated that are not in line with land use proposal with due consultations and relocate them to another place, The development control department should increase their awareness to enlightening the public, increase monitoring for development control activities and also increase the enforcement to avoid violation of land use. Finally the land use management use frame work be separated to allow checks and balances within the component of land use management.


1.0 .INTRODUCTIONLand use results from mans activities on, and in relation to landOlomo1997 Cited in William 2005.The land use management components are planning control, land allocation and tenure, development control and land use change management. Effective land use management enhances efficiency of urban development.
The regional development plan of the Federal Capital Territory FCT Abuja, recommended the development of satellite towns to support the Federal Capital City FCC. The need for immediate development of Gwagwalada among the Satellite towns became apparent following the decision of the Federal Government in 1979 to allow the indigenes of the FCT to remain within the Territory. The goal of developing Gwagwalada satellite town is to support or supplement the Federal Capital City as part of the IPA recommendations on the implementation of the master plan for the city .Gwagwalada master plan was prepared by the Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA, in 1980. According to the Gwagwalada plan, the land use structure of the town is to consist of three districts which are further organized into neighborhoods and industrial land uses.
The land use proposals have not been adhered to in the land allocation process and also there is weak development control activities, which are not able to ensure compliance of developers to the land use plan. This is the common experience of Nigerian towns and constitutes a fundamental problem of sustainable urban development.