By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
The Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) and the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGF) have taken steps to revitalize tourism development through their existing partnership.
This was established when the Director General of NTDA, Mr. Ola Awakan, paid a courtesy call to the Surveyor General of the Federation, Mr. Abdulganiyu Adebomehin, the OSGF headquarters in Abuja.
Adebomehin expressed OSGF’s readiness to collaborate with NTDA on the development of digital mapping solutions to improve access to tourism destinations and enhance visitor experience.
He highlighted the growing economic opportunities within the tourism sector and underscored the importance of mapping and wayfinding in tourism development.
The Surveyor General noted that OSGF possesses valuable geospatial data, including street guide maps, which can be better deployed to support tourism growth.
He stressed the need for reliable, homegrown mapping platforms that can complement existing global tools, noting that widely used digital maps are not always fully accurate.
He emphazied the rigour and precision of the surveying profession, noting that it involves extensive fieldwork across challenging terrains and increasing integration of technology.
While acknowledging technological advancements,Adebomehin emphasized that professional expertise and experience remain central to achieving accuracy.
Drawing from personal experience during his first international trip, he noted how accessible and accurate maps improve navigation and visitor confidence. He added that the OSGF.
Responding, the Director General of NTDA thanked the Surveyor General for the warm reception and acknowledged the historical importance of the OSGF in tourism.
Awakan described tourism as a major economic driver with a wide value chain and highlighting the strong alignment between tourism and surveying, as both are fundamentally linked to movement, navigation, and spatial planning.
The DG reiterated NTDA’s mandate as the apex regulator of tourism in Nigeria, for developing tourism destinations and promoting Nigeria’s tourism assets and cultural heritage to domestic and international markets.
He emphasized the importance of leveraging technology, digital platforms, and innovation to increase visibility of Nigeria’s vast tourism potential, citing ongoing collaborative efforts with states, including recent engagements in Katsina State.
He welcomed the areas of collaboration proposed and expressed NTDA’s commitment to revitalizing the existing partnership framework between both institutions.
He stressed that practical inter-agency collaboration remains critical to advancing national development and delivering tangible benefits to Nigerians.
In his closing remarks, the Surveyor General affirmed the need to rekindle the existing synergy between NTDA and OSGF and proposed the establishment of a joint committee to drive renewed collaboration.
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