Nigeria has joined South Africa to be the second country on the continent to be part of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) GEO-Nigeria, for the promotion of access to data and information.

Nigeria is being represented at the global level by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA). The group is an intergovernmental partnership that improves the availability, access, and use of Earth Observations (EO) data for a sustainable planet.

It is a unique global network of partners that consists of over 100 national governments and participating organizations committed to informed decisions and actions by coordinated and sustained EO data.

Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation Dr Adeleke Mamora, said GEO-Nigeria would promote open, coordinated, sustained data infrastructure and sharing for appropriate research, policy formulation, decision-making, and implementation across sectors.

Mamora said: “The time has come for all stakeholders to come together for the effective utilization of the Space Technology spin-off in Nigeria.

“This entails improved revenue generation with high-resolution satellite imagery, to the security of lives and properties with geotagged National Identity Card and more.

Director-General of NASRDA Dr. Halilu Shaba, said the earth observation data has proven to be vital for national security, and physical and socio-economic development. He said: “Our planet is a complex and interconnected system, brimming with vital information waiting to be unlocked.

“It is through the lens of EO that we gain valuable insights, enabling us to make informed decisions, mitigate risks and unlock the tremendous potential for progress in our nations,” Shaba added that in the face of national security concerns, EO data empowers the nation to detect emerging threats, monitor borders, track geopolitical dynamics and respond effectively to crises. The Director-General said that Nigeria being a member of GEO was committed to the success of its strategic plan 2016 – 2025, open-data-policy, and facilitating the implementation of the global priority areas.

The representative of ECOWAS Union Dr. Sabri Makaoui, South Africa Continental focal person of GEO, Naledzani Mudau, and Ms. Phoebe Odour the AfriGEO focal point based at the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) pledged their country’s support to the implementation of the program. The group is an intergovernmental partnership that improves the availability, access, and use of Earth Observations (EO) data for a sustainable planet. It is a unique global network of partners that consists of over 100 national governments and participating organizations committed to informed decisions and actions by coordinated and sustained EO data.

Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation Dr Adeleke Mamora, said GEO-Nigeria would promote open, coordinated, sustained data infrastructure and sharing for appropriate research, policy formulation, decision-making, and implementation across sectors. Mamora said: “The time has come for all stakeholders to come together for the effective utilization of the Space Technology spin-off in Nigeria.

“This entails improved revenue generation with high-resolution satellite imagery, to the security of lives and properties with geotagged National Identity Card and more. Director-General of NASRDA Dr. Halilu Shaba, said the earth observation data has proven to be vital for national security, and physical and socio-economic development.

He said: “Our planet is a complex and interconnected system, brimming with vital information waiting to be unlocked. “It is through the lens of EO that we gain valuable insights, enabling us to make informed decisions, mitigate risks and unlock the tremendous potential for progress in our nations.”

Shaba added that in the face of national security concerns, EO data empowers the nation to detect emerging threats, monitor borders, track geopolitical dynamics, and respond effectively to crises. The Director-General said that Nigeria being a member of GEO was committed to the success of its strategic plan 2016 – 2025, open-data-policy, and facilitating the implementation of the global priority areas.  headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya pledged their country’s support to the implementation of the program.