Abstract
The Western Nigerian continental shelf lies approximately between longitudes 2°42 ′ and 5°00 ′ E. It is a relatively gently sloping and narrow shelf, incised by two canyons, Avon and Mahin. The beaches between longitudes 2°42 ′ and 4°30 ′ E are sandy while Mahin Mud Beach is further to the east. The western sand deposits extend about 12 km offshore and are separated into two coast-parallel sand bodies by a narrow dark grey silt-mud facies, 1–2 km wide. Lekki lagoon is situated inland of the sandy beach-barrier systems near Lagos. This low energy tidal and freshwater lagoon is slowly silting up with river sediment; bottom sediment characteristics reflect influence of both fluvial transport and weak tidal current patterns. Mahin Mud Beach is starved of sand due to a lack of longshore drift as a result of the two canyons siphoning off arenaceous material. It is thus highly vulnerable to erosion and flooding. The two coast-parallel sand bodies in the west, combined with four preserved drowned coral reef systems, suggest that the post-Pleistocene sea level rise along the Western Nigerian shelf was punctuated by a number of sea level stillstands.
Published Version
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