Lagos is the fastest growing Megacity in Sub-Saharan Africa, with its population estimated to double in the first quarter of this century; it is expected to be the third largest urban agglomerations in the world. This growth is not without challenges, as the city is grappling with myriads of urban management problems. City planners lack the most important ingredient of land use management, which is Information. In spite of huge investment on spatial data infrastructures at the national and state levels of government, most land use planners at both state and local government level agencies are ignorant of existing geospatial technology portals and unlock the full potentials of information and communication technologies. A statewide survey of the spatial data infrastructures of the city’s urban and land use management ministry and agencies proves its pathetic state, thereby creating information gap void between urban development and intelligent management. The result is has led to a sporadic growth of slums and unplanned settlements which now accounts for over 60% of the city. To avoid an impasse, it is necessary to review the level of geospatial technologies used at the local level and recommend formidable means of integration in the decision making process. This paper examines the level of geospatial technologies and Spatial Data Infrastructure use in spatial planning agencies and barriers to implementation in the 20 local governments of Lagos State and suggests the way forward.

1. Building Spatial Data Infrastructure for
Spatial Planning in African Cities: The
Lagos Experience
Samuel Dekolo
Prof. Leke Oduwaye
Department of Urban and Regional Planning
University of Lagos, Nigeria
Being a Presentation at the 3rd International Conference of Urban and Regional Planning (ICURP2014)
“The Urban Agenda for Africa” Held at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. 13th -15th October, 2014

2. Presentation Overview
The Planning Agency and Spatial Information
 SDI and Spatial Planning
SDI Initiatives (Africa, National and Lagos)
Lessons from Lagos SDI Case Study Assessment

3. THE PLANNING AGENCY AND
SPATIAL INFORMATION

4. The Planning Agency and Need
for Spatial Information
Spatial information has become indispensable for
planning and management of cities.
The management and planning of urban space
requires spatially accurate and timely information on
land use and changing pattern.
Adequate monitoring provides the planners and
decision-makers with required information about the
current state of development and the nature of
changes that have occurred over time.

5. The Need for Spatial Information
Spatial Information
is the most valuable
and indispensable
ingredient in the
spatial planning
decision making
process

6. Faludi’s Cybernetic Model of the
Local Planning Agency
The Planning Agency is just like the Human Mind;
Information Input will Determine Output Response
Modified from Faludi, 1973

7. Information-driven Planning
Theories and Frameworks
1960s= Systems Theory played a dominant role
in the emergence of MIS in the 1960s and GIS in the
1990s
1980s= Functional and Communicative
Rationality . The former puts information gathering
and scientific analysis at the core of planning, while
the latter emphasises an inclusive approach of
information sharing by all stakeholders
2000s= e-planning is an extension of ICT
applications in planning with a focus on the product
(the plan) and the process (planning).

8. • If information gathering and sharing is
crucial to decision making in spatial
planning, how can the planning agency
achieve its aim?

9. SDI AND SPATIAL PLANNING

10. SDI Concept
Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) is an initiative
intended to create an environment that enables a
wide variety of users to access and retrieve
complete consistent data sets in easy and secure
way.
 It is defined as the technology, policies, standards,
and institutional arrangements necessary to acquire,
process, store, distribute and improve the utilization
of geospatial data from different sources and for a
wide range of potential users.

11. SDI Components
People
Access Network
Policy
Standards
Data
Dynamic
From Feeney et al, 2001

12. SDI Components
Metadata
Fundamental
Geospatial
SDI Datasets
Clearinghouse
Access
Infrastructure
Human
Resources and
Partnership
Policies
Standards

13. SDI in Spatial Planning Context
Spatial planning
coordinates policies
and investment across
agencies to achieve a
common objective for
activity places, which
may span from
communities to supra-national
spaces.
SDI provides
information linkage
across organizations
from local to global
scales.
From Rajabifard 1999

14. Building SDI Blocks
Corporate SDI is the foundation and lowest level
of SDI, which other blocks rest but most often
neglected. This research examines the planning
agency as a Corporate SDI Block (organization)
From Rajabifard 2000

15. SDI INITIATIVE IN AFRICA,
NIGERIA AND LAGOS

16. African SDI Initiatives
EIS- AFRICA Network
UN Eceonomic Commission for Africa Committee
on Information (CODI)
Africover- East Africa
AfricaGIS Conferences/Workshops on SDI
South Africa National Spatial Information
Framework (NSIF).
Ghana: National Framework for Geo-Spatial
Information Management (NAFGIM

17. Nigerian SDI Initiatives
National Geospatial Information Policy(2003)
NGDI Committee/Sub-committees:
2 Members from NASRDA (Lead Agency)
2 Members from University
2 Members from Polytechnic/Monotechnic
6 Members from 6 Geopolitical Zones (Nodal Agencies)
4 Private Sector, Inter-governmental Agencies& NGO
11 Members from Federal Ministries/Agencies
User Requirement Surveys,
Provision of Fundamental Datasets
National Workshops

18. NGDI Organizational Framework
Presidency
NGDI
Committee
Servers/Intranet
Feedback
NGDI Council
NASRDA
Stakeholders
Governments
(All Levels)
Private Sector
NGOs, CBOs
Academia
Service Providers
Vendors/Users
Public Sectors
Defence/Security
Others
Mapping Organisations & Other
NGDI Node Agencies
NGDI
Policy
Rules
Standards
Legislation
Sub-Committees
From Agbaje & Akinyede2005

19. SDI Initiatives in Lagos
Complete Digital Mapping/Geographic Information
System (GIS) for the whole State
Aerial photos at a scale of 1:4000 while
digital maps at a scale of 1/500 for Lagos metropolis and
1/1000 for rural areas
Orthophotos for the whole state is at 1/2000 and DTM.
Electronic Data Management Systems (EDMS)
LAGIS Project (Lagos Enterprise GIS)
Lagos Navigation Systems (upcoming)
Draft GI Policy for Lagos State

20. Lagos Enterprise GIS
Orthophoto Overlay Cadastral Map Layer

21. Lagos Enterprise GIS
Land Use and Acquisition Layers

22. Lagos Enterprise GIS
Administrative/Boundaries Layers

23. Lagos Enterprise GIS
Land Use Zones/Streets Layers

24. Lagos Enterprise GIS
Parcel/Cadastral Layers

25. CASE STUDY OF LAGOS SDI
PLANNING AGENCIES

26. Research Methodology
 The research adopted a survey approach, in which sets of
questionnaire were administered in agencies and departments
of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban
Development across the Local Government Areas of Lagos
State.
 The following are the agencies: Regional and Master Planning
Department, Physical Planning Department, Development
Matters, Urban Development, Lagos State Urban Renewal
Agency, Lagos State Planning Information Centre, Urban
Furniture Regulatory Unit, Lagos State Physical Planning
Permit Authority and Lagos State Building Control Agency.
 The New Towns Development Authority (NTDA) was also
included in the survey.

27. The Organizational Structure of Ministry of
Physical Planning and Urban Development
Agencies of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development

28. SDI Thematic Areas and Response
 The investigation covered the following:
 Awareness, use and usefulness of LAGIS website
 availability of ICT infrastructure,
 availability of core SDI data
 data sharing and coordination,
 perceived barriers and benefits of ICT in urban planning.
 The survey recorded 100% response from state level agencies, while
response only 30% response was recorded at the local level agencies,
however, respondent agencies were spread across 12 of the 20 Local
Government Areas, which also represent 58% of the total land mass of
the state. 54.5% of the respondents are in the professional cadres,
while respondents in the technical and administrative cadres were
36.4% and 9.1% respectively.

29. Awareness, Use and Usefulness of
the LAGIS Project

30. Available ICT Infrastructures
Access to Communication Networks

31. Available ICT Infrastructures
Access to Computer Hardware

32. Available ICT Infrastructures
Access to Geospatial Software

33. Fundamental Datasets
Fundamental Geospatial
Datasets
Response %
Mean Rank
Valid
Missing
Valid %
None
0
Paper
1
Digital
2
Paper
/Digital
4
Approved Private Layouts 20 2 35.0 45.0 15.0 5.0 0.90 1
Aerial Photographs 21 1 57.1 14.3 14.3 14.3 0.86 2
Digital Satellite Imageries 21 1 61.9 4.8 19.0 14.0 0.86 2
Development Permit Register 21 1 42.9 42.9 4.8 9.5 0.81 4
Government Residential
20 2
Schemes
45.0 35.0 15.0 5.0
0.80
5
Land Use Zoning 21 1 52.5 28.6 9.5 9.5 0.76 6
Topographic Data 21 1 52.4 33.3 9.5 4.8 0.67 7
Transportation 21 1 57.1 23.8 14.3 4.8 0.67 7
Model City Plans 21 1 61.9 19.0 9.5 9.5 0.67 7
Industrial Schemes 20 2 70.0 15.0 15.0 0.0 0.45 10
Administrative Maps 21 1 76.2 14.2 4.8 4.8 0.38 11
Land Cover/Vegetation 21 1 76.2 9.5 14.3 0.0 0.38 11
Renewal/Regeneration Maps
20 2
75.0 20.0 5.0 0.0
0.30
13
Hydrological Data 21 1 85.7 4.8 9.5 0.0 0.24 14
Climate 21 1 85.7 4.8 9.5 0.0 0.24 14
Cadastral/Land Tenure 21 1 85.7 9.5 4.8 0.0 0.19 16
Health Data 21 1 85.7 9.5 4.8 0.0 0.19 16
Demographic/Population 21 1 85.7 9.5 4.8 0.0 0.19 16
Wetland Maps 21 1 90.4 4.8 4.8 0.0 0.14 19
Soil Maps 21 1 90.4 4.8 4.8 0.0 0.14 19
Forestry 21 1 90.4 4.8 4.8 0.0 0.14 19
Economic Data 21 1 90.4 4.8 4.8 0.0 0.14 19
Geodetic Data 22 0 95.5 0.0 4.5 0.0 0.09 23
Bathymetry Data 21 1 100.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.00 24

34. Common Challenges to SDI
Development in Africa
Policy and Coordination Problems
Awareness and Ignorance
Socio-economic, Cultural and Political Diversity
Partnership and Collaboration Problems
Financial Issues
Lack of Political Will
Accountable and Transparency
Insufficiency Human and Technical Capacities

35. Way Forward for SDI Development
in African Cities
There is an urgent need for of creating awareness on the SDI
initiative.
SDI needs assessment for cities should be coordinated at City level.
Inter-institutional committee or organization should be formed at city
levels in each country to develop a work plan, identify working groups
and tasks, hold awareness workshops and build support, develop
policy and laws.
Developing countries should develop and endorse policies
promoting greater public access to geoinformation. Such policies
should remove barriers to as well as promote access and sharing.
Metadata should be developed, maintained, standardized and
published at local, national and regional levels as frequent as
possible.
Formal City SDI programme must be launched in a systematic way,
collaborating donor organization, international and local stakeholders.

36. Way Forward for SDI Development
in African Cities
SDI initiatives should focus on customers’ interests and needs, i.e.,
State SDI should focus on city and corporate interest, while National
SDI should focus on sub-national concerns.
GSDI should provide technical assistance to regional and national
SDI. Since SDI is a relatively new concept, most developing countries
will need assistance to capacity building.
Financial strategy should be developed. Sustainable finance is
central to any successful SDI implementation; therefore, countries
should make business cases that will attract investment from private,
public sector and donor organizations.
Investment in the collection of core geospatial data should be
expanded and made a priority like any other physical infrastructure
national and regional budgets
Investment in technical and human capacity should be given priority.
Vertically and horizontal partnerships must be developed. Such
must promote credibility, fairness, openness and consensus building.
Government leadership is essential to SDI development.

37. Thank You