…Moves to Establish National Geospatial Infrastructure
By Joy Odor Abuja
In a major step toward reshaping Nigeria’s data-driven governance and environmental management, the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF) has pledged full technical support to the Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC), with plans underway to actualize the long-awaited National Geospatial Data Infrastructure (NGDI).
The commitment was sealed during a high-level meeting at the OSGOF headquarters in Abuja, where the Surveyor General of the Federation, Surv. Abdulganiyu Adebomehin Adeyemi, hosted the Executive Director of NIWRMC, Engr. Abdulmumin Mohammed Zaria, and his management team.
Adebomehin, who highlighted OSGOF’s vast technical capacity, revealed that the agency holds a treasure trove of hydrographic and geospatial data crucial to national planning.
“You are in the right place,” he declared. “We have a department called Hydrography with extensive data and cutting-edge equipment, some even capable of predicting rainfall time. Our staff possess the expertise, and we are open to training NIWRMC personnel in data management and technical applications.”
The Surveyor General urged the NIWRMC to prioritize manpower development, data digitization, and investment in modern software tools.
“You must have a data center and laboratory because there are data that cannot be handled by computers anymore, they must be stored in the cloud,” he advised.
On the proposed National Geospatial Data Infrastructure (NGDI), Adebomehin described it as a vital but underutilized national asset that could solve critical problems in surveillance, infrastructure planning, and disaster management.
“We have not fully optimized NGDI in Nigeria. We need every ministry, department, and agency to contribute their data so we can use it to address key national challenges from locating hospitals to planning essential services,” he said.
In response, NIWRMC’s Executive Director, Engr. Zaria, emphasized the urgency of collaboration to strengthen Nigeria’s water governance framework.
“If my commission does not take OSGOF seriously, then we have not started,” he said. “Your office holds the key to the data technology we need. Together, we can develop protocols, share geospatial data, and implement pilot projects in key hydrological areas.”
He stressed that synergy among government agencies is vital to achieving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in areas like digital twin mapping, water infrastructure delineation, geo-forensic monitoring, and capacity development.
NIWRMC’s Legal Adviser, Rotimi Ojegbile, reinforced the importance of the partnership, explaining that effective Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) relies on cross-agency collaboration.
“Water is finite, not infinite,” he warned. “Only through integration of land, water, and related resources can we prevent resource conflicts and environmental degradation.”
In his closing remarks, Surv. Duniya Magaji, Head of Geodesy at OSGOF, hailed the collaboration as a “national necessity,” urging all agencies to embrace cooperation for the country’s development.
“People often avoid collaboration because of the resources involved, but the more we collaborate, the better for Nigeria,” he stated.
The meeting ended with both agencies agreeing to formalize their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a Joint Technical Working Group to advance geospatial innovation, water resource management, and national data integration.
