By Adebisi Ayokunle Adeleye

Nigeria is on the cusp of a technological revolution that could fundamentally reshape its economy, cities, and security landscape. At the heart of this transformation lies the National Geospatial Data Infrastructure (NGDI), a framework with the potential to unlock billions of dollars in revenue, create smarter and more resilient cities, protect the environment, and strengthen national security. While its development has been a long journey marked by unfulfilled expectations, a renewed push from the federal government and pioneering efforts by some states are beginning to reveal the immense power of this “hidden gem.”

An NGDI is a collection of policies, technologies, standards, and human resources necessary to acquire, process, store, distribute, and improve the utilisation of geospatial data. In simpler terms, it is the backbone for sharing and using location-based information across all sectors of a nation. For Nigeria, a fully functional NGDI means moving from fragmented, paper-based systems to a unified, digital framework that can drive data-driven decision-making at all levels of government.

Unlocking dormant capital and boosting revenue
One of the most significant impacts of a robust NGDI is its ability to generate substantial revenue for state governments. Currently, it is estimated that less than 5 per cent of Nigeria’s land is formally titled, leaving an estimated $300 billion in “dead capital” locked away in unregistered properties. This lack of formal documentation not only prevents individuals from using their property as collateral for credit but also represents a massive loss of potential revenue for states through property taxes and land use charges.

The federal government’s “Land4Growth” initiative, a core component of the National Land Registration, Documentation and Titling Programme (NLRDTP), aims to tackle this issue head-on. The programme seeks to unlock over $150 billion of this dormant capital by increasing the formal registration of land titles by at least 50 per cent within the next decade. By creating a standardised, digital Land Information System (LIS) and Geographic Information System (GIS), states can build comprehensive property databases, streamline tax collection, and significantly boost their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

Lagos State: A beacon of success
Lagos State has emerged as a frontrunner in leveraging geospatial technology for governance. Its Electronic Geographic Information System (e-GIS) portal has revolutionized land administration, simplifying procedures, enhancing transparency, and improving revenue generation from property taxes and land transactions. The success of the Lagos model serves as a powerful case study for other states, demonstrating the tangible economic benefits of investing in a modern geospatial data infrastructure.

Pockets of progress and the case for national unity
Pioneering states have already demonstrated the transformative power of geospatial technology. Lagos State’s Electronic Geographic Information System (LASGIS) stands as the nation’s benchmark, having revolutionised land administration and revenue generation. Similarly, the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) has been the backbone of the Federal Capital Territory’s master planning and land management since 2003. Inspired by these successes, other states are following suit, with Kaduna (KADGIS), Kwara (KW-GIS), Niger (NIGIS), Oyo (Oyo GISS), and including the most recent Akwa Ibom (AkwaGIS) establishing their own GIS platforms to modernise land administration.

However, these commendable efforts are creating a patchwork of digital islands. Each state operates with different standards, technologies, and data formats, leading to a lack of interoperability. This fragmentation prevents the country from addressing national-scale challenges. The consequences of this are not merely theoretical; they manifest in costly delays and failures in critical national projects.

A hypothetical failure: The Lagos-Kano high-speed rail project
Imagine the federal government launching an ambitious project to build a high-speed railway connecting Lagos to Kano, a vital economic corridor passing through multiple states. The project immediately runs into a wall of digital incompatibility. Project engineers in Oyo State find their land data, based on one coordinate system, does not align with the data from Kwara State, which uses another. A parcel of land classified as “agricultural” in Oyo’s system is labeled “customary fallow land” in Kwara’s, forcing a manual, time-consuming re-verification process that delays the project by months and inflates survey costs.

Further north, as the route approaches a forest reserve in Niger State, federal environmental agencies cannot directly overlay their up-to-date satellite imagery of deforestation onto the state’s proprietary GIS map to conduct a proper Environmental Impact Assessment. Later, as construction begins in Kaduna, national security forces with real-time intelligence on bandit movements are unable to integrate this critical data with the construction company’s GIS, which maps the railway corridor and high-value assets. The result is a catastrophic ambush on a convoy of expensive equipment in a location that was a well-known high-risk area, leading to loss of life, destruction of assets, and a major project setback.

This hypothetical railway, a critical piece of national infrastructure, is ultimately crippled by delays, cost overruns, and security failures. The tragedy is that these problems are not due to a lack of data, each state and agency had data. The failure lies entirely in the inability of these digital islands to communicate.

This is where the National Geospatial Data Infrastructure becomes an absolute necessity. The NGDI is not meant to replace these state-level initiatives but to unite them. It provides the common language—the standards, policies, and technical framework—that allows these disparate systems to connect and share data seamlessly. It is the digital scaffolding upon which a truly modern, data-driven nation is built. For a serious nation, investing in an all-encompassing NGDI is not a luxury; it is the fundamental basis for solving major national issues in a coordinated and efficient manner.

Building smarter, more livable cities
Nigeria’s cities are expanding at an unprecedented rate, bringing with them immense challenges in urban planning and infrastructure development. Rapid, unplanned urbanisation leads to informal settlements, traffic congestion, and strained public services. A functional NGDI provides urban planners with the critical tools needed to manage this growth effectively.

Through GIS applications, planners can analyse urban sprawl, model different development scenarios, and make informed decisions about where to build new roads, schools, and hospitals. In Abuja, the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) is central to the capital’s master planning and utility management. In Port Harcourt, geospatial data is being used for stormwater management and to assess the needs of riverside communities. From optimising transportation networks to identifying areas vulnerable to flooding, the applications of NGDI in creating sustainable and resilient urban environments are vast.

Safeguarding the environment
Effective environmental management is impossible without accurate and timely data. NGDI provides the foundation for monitoring Nigeria’s diverse ecosystems and addressing pressing environmental challenges. Geospatial technologies are crucial for conducting Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for new development projects, ensuring that economic growth does not come at an unacceptable environmental cost.

Furthermore, satellite imagery and remote sensing data, managed through an NGDI, can be used to monitor deforestation, track oil spills in the Niger Delta, and map areas at high risk of erosion and desertification. This allows for proactive interventions and supports the sustainable management of the nation’s precious natural resources.

Reinforcing national security
In an era of complex and dynamic security threats, from insurgency to piracy, traditional surveillance methods are no longer sufficient. Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT), a key component of a modern security apparatus, relies heavily on the data infrastructure that an NGDI provides. By integrating multi-sensor imagery from satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with terrain mapping and historical incident data, security forces can gain a significant operational advantage.

A 2025 paper by the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors highlighted that GEOINT tools have the potential to improve response times by up to 60 per cent and enable more accurate threat forecasting. The paper notes that while Nigeria has made a pivotal shift towards digital surveillance, challenges such as fragmented data systems and weak inter-agency coordination hinder its full potential.

A statutory and fully implemented NGDI is the recommended solution to enforce interoperable data standards and ensure that all security agencies are working from a common, authoritative source of geospatial information.

Unlocking revenue: Five critical policy recommendations for Nigerian States
To immediately begin leveraging the National Geospatial Data Infrastructure (NGDI) and unlock a share of the estimated $150 billion in dormant land capital, state governments must adopt proactive and targeted policies. The following five recommendations provide a clear, actionable framework for states to build the necessary capacity, streamline processes, and create a conducive environment for investment and revenue generation.

Establish a State-Level Geospatial Data Infrastructure (SGDI) policy and governance framework

The Challenge: A primary obstacle to NGDI adoption is the lack of a cohesive legal and institutional framework, leading to fragmented data and inter-agency turf wars.

Policy Recommendation: State governments must immediately establish a State Geospatial Data Infrastructure (SGDI) Act. This legislation should create a clear governance structure, mandating a central coordinating body, such as a State GIS Council, led by the Governor or Deputy Governor. This council would be responsible for setting data standards, enforcing interoperability among all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and overseeing the state’s overall geospatial strategy. This policy provides the legal authority to break down data silos and ensures that all state-level geospatial activities are aligned and efficient.

Launch a mass, systematised land titling and registration drive
The Opportunity: With less than 5 per cent of Nigeria’s land formally titled, the most direct path to revenue is converting this “dead capital” into productive assets.

Policy recommendation: Implement a state-wide, technology-driven Systematic Land Titling and Registration (SLTR) programme. This policy should move away from the slow, sporadic, on-demand registration process. Instead, the state should proactively survey and adjudicate land rights on an area-by-area basis, using high-resolution satellite imagery and GIS technology to rapidly map all properties. To incentivise participation, the policy should include a time-bound amnesty program with significantly reduced fees for initial registration, making it affordable for most property owners to formalise their assets.

Digitise and automate the entire land administration value chain
The Model: The success of Lagos State’s e-GIS platform demonstrates the power of digitisation in enhancing efficiency and transparency in land administration.

Policy Recommendation: Mandate the complete digitisation of all land records and automate the entire land administration workflow. This involves creating a unified Electronic Land Administration System (e-LAS) that handles all processes online, from initial application for a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to subsequent transactions like transfers, mortgages, and searches. This policy must also establish a public-facing online portal where citizens and investors can verify land titles and conduct due diligence, reducing fraud and increasing confidence in the land market.

Reform property taxation using a GIS-based cadastre
The inefficiency: Current property tax systems are often based on outdated and incomplete records, leading to massive revenue leakage.

Policy recommendation: Enact a GIS-Based Property Tax Reform Act. This policy would mandate the creation of a comprehensive and continuously updated digital cadastre (a map of all taxable properties). Using this GIS platform, the state can implement a fair and transparent property valuation system based on location, size, and use. The system should automate the generation of tax assessments and demand notices and integrate with online payment platforms to make compliance easy for citizens and collection efficient for the government.

Invest in human capacity and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
The bottleneck: The lack of trained personnel and the high cost of technology are significant barriers to GIS adoption in Nigeria.

Policy recommendation: Develop a Geospatial Capacity Building and Partnership Policy. This policy should have two main thrusts. First, it must mandate and fund the training and certification of staff within the Surveyor General’s office, land registries, and planning departments. Second, it should create a clear framework for attracting Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). This would allow the state to leverage private sector expertise and capital for technology acquisition, data capture, and system management, accelerating implementation while mitigating the upfront financial burden on the state government.

The road ahead
Despite its undeniable potential, the path to a fully realised NGDI in Nigeria is fraught with challenges. These include the high cost of technology, a shortage of trained personnel, and a historical resistance to data sharing among government agencies. The Surveyor General of the Federation, Surv. Abdulganiyu Adebomehin Adeyemi, recently acknowledged this, stating, “We have not been able to achieve NGDI in Nigeria. We want to collaborate with all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to bring their data together so we can use it to address national challenges.”

Overcoming these hurdles will require a concerted effort. This includes sustained political will, significant investment in technology and training, the establishment of a clear legal and policy framework, and fostering a culture of collaboration between the public and private sectors. The federal government’s “Land4Growth” programme, with its phased approach targeting reform-ready states, is a promising step in the right direction.

As Nigeria continues its journey of digital transformation, the development of its National Geospatial Data Infrastructure is not just a technical exercise—it is a strategic imperative. By unlocking this hidden gem, the nation can pave the way for a more prosperous, secure, and sustainable future for all its citizens.

Read the remaining part of this article on www.guardian.ng
Adeleye is a Geospatial Technology (GIS) expert with over a decade of professional experience spanning telecommunications, environmental consulting, and geospatial research.