Nigeria Governors’ Forum invites GRID3 to encourage subnational implementation of geospatial data solutions
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, inaugurated the GRID3 Nigeria National Steering and Technical Committees on 04 December 2019 in Abuja. The Committees support Nigerian efforts to use geospatial data in the country’s continued pursuit of achieving sustainable development for everyone.
In his inauguration speech, Osinbajo encouraged the inclusion of state representatives in these committees to expand the use of geospatial data at the subnational level. As a follow up to this directive, GRID3 Nigeria was invited to the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) on 18 December 2019.
The mission of NGF is to provide a common platform for collaboration amongst the Executive Governors on matters of public policy. It aims to promote good governance, sharing of good practice and enhance cooperation at the state level among all sectors of society.
GRID3 Nigeria was invited to present an overview of the programme and its coordination structure to the State Governors in attendance, and garner support from state governments on using spatial data solutions to inform planning and implementation of development and policy interventions across the states.
The GRID3 Nigeria team covered a series of geospatial use case applications in priority sectors, including education, food security, and health, and highlighted the value of strengthening the use of geospatial data for evidence-based decision making.
Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Chairman of the NGF, expressed his excitement about the opportunities GRID3 Nigeria represented and how it could help states with their developmental planning. He commended the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning for coordinating GRID3 Nigeria, and an official response of the Governors has been sent to the Ministry.
As a result, seven state Governors (Kwara, Kaduna, Gombe, Edo, Ebonyi, Oyo and Ekiti) representing the NGF have become members of the GRID3 Nigeria National Steering Committee and various heads of GIS agencies are to be nominated as members of the Technical Committee. The inaugural joint meeting of both committees is to take place on Monday 10 February 2020, in Abuja.
