Nigeria Pioneers Geospatial Technology for Advanced Smart City Development - International Edition (English)

Nigeria is achieving notable progress in geospatial technology, which is an essential resource for developing smart cities and contemporary infrastructure throughout the nation.

Abdulganiyu Adebomehin, the Surveyor-General of the Federation, made these comments during a one-day workshop held on Thursday about the applications of ultra-high-resolution drone images and street view data gathered from parts of the Abuja Municipal Area Council.

Adebomehin highlighted the nation's dedication to utilizing technology for national progress.

"I wish to express that we should all take pride in what we're about to witness. As Nigerians, particularly when discussing geospatial information and management along with technology, these are the very elements defining global progress today," he stated.

He stated, "Discussing smart cities without having tangible examples to present right away is pointless since you need such detailed data available across extensive areas, with images smaller than two centimetres."

The Surveyor-General disclosed that substantial advancements have been achieved in mapping efforts, with 20 out of the 35 sanctioned blocks now finalized. Nonetheless, they paused briefly prior to continuing with the procedure.

"For the last four days, we opted to take a break since we still had roughly five blocks left to cover. However, after managing to complete approximately 20 out of the 35 blocks for which we received approval, we felt it was time to seriously begin the process," he stated.

He underscored the significance of geospatial data in molding the future, which coincides with the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

"When molding today’s world, it is through geospatial management and handling your own data that changes occur. We must ensure Nigeria isn’t overlooked; thus, we’re committed to pursuing every possible avenue with regards to achieving the goals set forth under this administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Therefore, I would like to emphasize that advancing this agenda represents one such accomplishment," he emphasized.

Adebomehin likewise highlighted the role of drone technology in contemporary warfare and urban development, stating, "Everyone understands the capabilities drones possess today; members of the armed forces would confirm that if you claim to have an army of 17,000 soldiers, this entire force could be eliminated within just one second through the use of a drone."

He emphasized the importance of Nigeria keeping pace with technological progress to develop smart cities, stating, "Many argue that when we claim something as the first of its kind in Africa, they doubt its veracity and believe such achievements cannot occur here. Therefore, if we do not keep up with new technologies and trends, I question how we can contribute to the smart city initiative."

Discussing the revolutionary possibilities presented by digital twins, the Head of the Department of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Azeez Olaniyi, highlighted how this innovation might transform urban planning and infrastructure management.

"We have an organization known as the Border Community Development, BCDE, where our office is located. I assume they are collaborating with the Nigerian Immigration Services," he stated.

Olaniyi observed that although digital twins are often linked to urban areas, they have potential applications for border regions as well.

"Then, as I pointed out during my presentation, I indicated that digital twins are currently applicable to cities. If you concur with me, many of our physical frontiers with neighboring nations aren’t true international borders since they’re located internally, such as at airports. However, the actual international boundaries typically lie outside urban centers. Nonetheless, this doesn't imply we can't develop digital replicas for these regions," he clarified.

Citing South Korea as an example, Olaniyi described how digital twins could be used to monitor air traffic in real time.

"Indeed, I've witnessed a digital twin developed for Korean airports that tracks the movements and airspace activities of each incoming aircraft in real-time. While this has been implemented in Korea, we haven’t achieved such precision yet. Our system currently experiences around a 35-second lag. Nonetheless, digital twins could be utilized across nearly all aspects of our daily lives," he noted.

Olaniyi likewise emphasized the advantages of digital twins in urban development, infrastructure planning, and disaster management.

"For example, when we plan for renovations, we no longer need to physically dig around. Instead, every modification we wish to make is done within a virtual environment that exists as a digital file in our system. This approach helps save time and conserves the limited resources at our disposal," he explained.

He went on to describe how detailed images of Abuja could assist governmental initiatives, including the development of new railway systems, road networks, and power distribution infrastructures.

"Government entities aim to develop new railway systems, roads, or electrical grids. Instead of traveling extensively for site visits, one can examine these projects virtually within the system. For instance, you might notice a roadway and consider where to install power lines or pipelines. Governments seek efficient ways to transport crude oil and petroleum goods, preferring pipelines over tanker trucks. This approach allows us to establish optimal routes without the need to physically traverse every neighborhood," he explained.

Olaniyi further highlighted the capabilities of geospatial technology in relation to population censuses and disaster readiness.

"This represents a major accomplishment. I've been focusing on population censuses for an extended period. In the demo, you'll notice that we have mapped out the structure with precise detail. We can also ascertain the number of residences inside the building. Furthermore, we can make educated guesses about the inhabitants: perhaps a couple with two or three children per household, depending on the situation. This method could prove highly cost-effective for government entities," he clarified.

Regarding natural disaster response, he highlighted the forecasting abilities of digital twins.

"Another prime instance is found in the realm of natural disaster responses. There’s no need to delay action until after the event occurs; instead, we can create predictive models beforehand. For example, if we anticipate a certain level of rainfall in an area, we can determine which social infrastructures might face impacts as a result. This proactive approach helps save both lives and property, highlighting just how crucial such measures are," according to Olaniyi.

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