eHealth Africa has called for stronger collaboration and innovative use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to advance global health equity in the country.
The call came during an annual event marking the 2025 World GIS Day, with experts in geospatial intelligence and public health practitioners, researchers, and development partners resolving to expand the impact of geospatial technology across Africa.
Delivering the opening remarks, Deputy Director, Global Health Informatics at eHealth Africa, Mr. Abdulhamid Yahaya, highlighted the role of GIS in shaping the future of health systems while underscoring the importance of cross-sector collaboration.
With the theme: GIS for Global Health Equity: Embracing the Geo-Generalist Era, Hahaha noted that the 2025 World GIS Day inspires and reflects the critical role of GIS in driving global health equity.
Yahaya said, “In this room and across our virtual audience, we have innovators, practitioners, researchers, and advocates who have been applying geospatial intelligence to strengthen public health across Africa and beyond.”
“GIS is most powerful when health experts, technologists, policymakers, and community leaders come together, share knowledge, align strategies, and co-create solutions.
“Your contributions are essential to driving meaningful impact. Today promises rich learning, innovative discussions, and forward-thinking action that will shape stronger, more equitable health systems across the continent.”
On his part, Director General, Geographic Information System (KANGIS), Dr Dalhatu Aliyu Sani, advocated multi-sector collaboration and showcased the progress of the state in the area of geospatial infrastructure.
He said that with Africa now ranking third globally in GIS-related public health publications, the state has renewed investments in enterprise GIS and strengthened Kano’s systems, which presently generate over N750 million monthly in revenue compared to N50 million previously.
“GIS is no longer just about land administration. It is about spatial data for planning, security, environmental monitoring, and sustainable development,” Dr. Sani added.
Also, the Deputy Director and Technical Lead of the CORE Group Partners Project, Mr. Oros-ghene Adia, stressed GIS’s transformative role in disease eradication and health service delivery.
He explained that GIS has the potential to uncover where people live, where diseases occur, and how services can reach them effectively. He noted ongoing challenges, including limited skills and infrastructure gaps, but expressed optimism that advocacy and innovation would close these gaps.
The 2025 World GIS Day hosted by eHealth Africa featured presentations, panel discussions, and exhibitions showcasing innovations across health, agriculture, security, and urban development.
The event reinforced the message that collaboration across sectors, supported by geospatial intelligence, is vital for building equitable, resilient, and data-driven health systems, an effort eHealth Africa continues to champion across the region.
