NASARAWA DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM: A Progress Report on the Development of Spatial
Data Infrastructure in Nasarawa State – Nigeria
By
Ibrahim Usman Jibril, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
Nasarawa State Government initiated Nasarawa Development Platform Project in 2012, to address land
administration and management issues as well as the issue of unplanned and unregulated settlements.
Karu’s proximity to Abuja City is a major focal point because of its ability to generate much needed
revenue as well as equally important reason of addressing squarely the problem of urban poor in respect
of land ownership and its attendance social consequences. The State Government has suffered a lot in the
past particularly from 2007 and 2011 when title documents to land owners were completely suspended
and the land administration department virtually rendered jobless. All cadastral activities were grounded
to a standstill. Consequently a lot of people lost confidence in applying and obtaining title documents.
This has a negative effect on financial transactions between citizens and financial institutions. In the
absence of any secured title documents to hold on to financial institutions could not offer any assistance
or transact any deal with individual or corporate organizations. Consequently revenue from land
transactions nose dive to an all-time low.
The Nasarawa State Government from 2011 assessed the situation and realized the need for the adoption
of modern best practices in land administration and management. It came to a good conclusion that only a
very good and solid spatial data infrastructure could save the situation and move the state forward to a 21 st
century land management. These are the reasons behind the Nasarawa Development Platform Project.
This Project has three very important components - Digital Aerial Mapping, Nasarawa Geographic
Information Services and District Planning/ Urban Renewal of three important townships in the State - are
three components of NDP at a cost of UD$16,876,561.00 and completion period of 24 months. The goal
is to have well-structured land database in GIS environment, ensure preparation and issuance of secured
land title documents for all land/property owners. In short the project aims at developing a spatial data
infrastructure to assist the Government in taking decisions from an informed position in all aspects of its
development activities.
The project Stated in May 2012 and Nineteen months on the result so far is significant and encouraging.
Two third of the state’s land mass have been flown at 25cm and 6 townships at 10cm resolution. The
acquired data are undergoing processing. Line and Land use cover maps are have been prepared covering
the entire state’s land mass. All have been deployed into our GIS database. The remaining part of the state
is expected to be flown and covered fully by the end of the year 2013.when this happens Nasarawa State
would be the first State in Nigeria (out of the 36 states) to have such a data in a digital format. Data
capture of the existing land records in the State is at advance stage of completion. Of the over 25,000 land
files over 20,000 have now been captured into the Land Information –LIS- data base. The same number is
also captured into the Document Management – DMS – as well as into the GIS database. Retrieval of
land files is now easier from Archives/Registry, while issuance of new land title documents has started
and has significantly changed land administration procedures in the state. Similarly data cleaning and
quality control are all going at the same time as well as staff training to enable them operate the new
computerized system.
On the third and final segment of the project, first and second reports have been submitted by the
Planning Consultants. The report carries wide ranging proposals and recommendations. Of the three
townships slated for planning eleven districts are proposed. Four would be created in the state capital city
of Lafia, two in Keffi town and five in Karu Township which is close to the Nation’s capital City of
Abuja. The proposal also includes urban renewal particularly in Karu area which has experienced rapid
urban development without proper planning. The intention is to create a twin city side by side with Abuja
with similar facilities. This would reduce the amount of hardship experience by inhabitants of the area
and also allow for a well-planned environment.
The challenges are many but the project is gradually overcoming them and restoring confidence of the
people and carrying along the old staff that from time tend to resist the new system for fear of losing out.
The project has embarked on serious training program in order to carry along everybody and break down
the resistance.
It is significant to note that the citizens’ perception has significantly changed and more and more people
are coming forward to apply for a more secured land title documents from the new organization created
by this project. The hitherto neglected land revenue generation has significantly picked up to the extent
that the land department has now become the highest revenue earner for the state. Peoples’ confidence has
significantly been restored in the new land administration system by the new outfit created by the
Government with the rolling out of the new title documents that is more secured and easy to get.
KEYWORDS
Aerial Photos & Mapping, Computerized Land Administration, Geographic Information Systems, Land &
Property Registration, Land use Planning & Urban Renewal.