Surveyor General Emphasizes Importance of National Geodatabase

• Surveyor General Adebomehin advocates for a National Geospatial Data Infrastructure in Nigeria to provide accurate, real-time environmental information
• The NGDI aims to be a one-stop shop for various data sets, enhancing decision-making processes beyond reliance on platforms like Google

The Surveyor General of the Federation, Surv. Abuduganiyu Adeyemi Adebomehin, has highlighted the critical need for Nigeria to establish a National Geospatial Data Infrastructure (NGDI) that serves as a comprehensive repository for all information related to materials, institutions, and agencies.

Adebomehin made this statement during a pre-event interactive session in Abuja leading up to the 2023 Geosciences Information System Day, which relevant organizations co-host in collaboration with the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation.

He emphasized that many countries have developed their NGDI, providing real-time and accurate information about their environments. Adebomehin stressed the limitations of relying on platforms like Google, which may provide inaccurate information due to incorrect coordinates.

The NGDI, once operational, aims to be a locally developed spatial data repository or a one-stop shop where various data sets about different components, incident locations, etc., in the country, can be easily accessed for real-time decision-making, similar to platforms like Google.

Adebomehin expressed the importance of creating awareness and promoting stakeholder collaboration through events like the GIS expo. He urged all Nigerians to participate in the 2023 GIS Day in Abuja on November 14 and 15, 2023.

The surveyor general highlighted that this year’s event, themed “Celebrating the Professionals in the Industry,” is unique, being the first time the event is distinctively hosted by OSGoF, with the participation of professionals from both local and international scenes.

In explaining the significance of GIS (Geographic Information System), Adebomehin stated that GIS is a computer system consisting of software used to analyze collected data and hardware where the software operates. GIS mapping software enables the visualization, analysis, and effective understanding of geospatial data.