The Federal Government has inaugurated the 10th Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON), reaffirming its commitment to strengthening geospatial governance, digital modernisation and the use of spatial intelligence for national development and security.
According to an official statement signed by the Head, Information and Public Relations Department, Chris Ugwuegbulam, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, CON, inaugurated the new council on Monday in Abuja.
Speaking at the ceremony, Senator Akume described surveying and geospatial technology as critical to Nigeria’s development, noting that SURCON has a key responsibility in regulating and licensing surveying professionals, advancing the country’s geospatial infrastructure and promoting global best practices in the profession.
He said Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda depends on a robust and standardised national geospatial data infrastructure capable of ensuring seamless interoperability across sectors.
The SGF called for the review of licensing standards to reflect competencies in modern geospatial technologies, while urging the Council to enforce digital practice standards and strengthen monitoring in the oil and gas, mining and national boundary management sectors.
Senator Akume said the inauguration reflects the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, to integrating geospatial intelligence into national planning and security to ensure decisions are guided by credible spatial data.
He noted that placing the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation under the Presidency has elevated geospatial governance to a strategic level, strengthened coordination among Ministries, Departments and Agencies, accelerated the development of a unified national geospatial data infrastructure and enhanced evidence-based decision-making.
The SGF also urged members of the newly inaugurated council to discharge their responsibilities with integrity, professionalism and innovation while promoting capacity building and curriculum reforms to prepare surveyors for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and spatial analytics.
Responding on behalf of the council, the President of the 10th Surveyors Council of Nigeria, Surveyor Moshood Onifade Akinwade, FNIS, thanked the Federal Government for the confidence reposed in the council and pledged to drive the digitisation of Nigeria’s geospatial management system in support of national development and security.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr. Abubakar Ibrahim Kana, mni, highlighted the strategic importance of surveyors in environmental planning, land administration and the management of Nigeria’s natural resources, describing the profession as indispensable to effective national governance.
