Joel Ajayi 

The Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) and the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGF) have taken steps to revitalize their existing partnership, following a courtesy visit by the Director General of NTDA, Mr. Ola Awakan, to the Surveyor General of the Federation, Mr. Abdulganiyu A. Adebomehin, FNIS, FCE, at the OSGF headquarters in Abuja.
Welcoming the NTDA delegation, the Surveyor General described the OSGF as one of Nigeria’s oldest public institutions, with a history that predates 1908.

He spoke on 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, he emphasized that professional expertise and experience remain central to achieving accuracy.

He highlighted the growing economic opportunities within the tourism sector and underscored the importance of mapping and wayfinding in tourism development.

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 possesses valuable geospatial data, including street guide maps, which can be better deployed to support tourism growth.

The Surveyor General expressed readiness to collaborate with NTDA on the development of digital mapping solutions to improve access to tourism destinations and enhance visitor experience.

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 also referenced ongoing interest in mapping and supporting tourism locations, including coastal and leisure destinations.

In his response, the Director General of NTDA thanked the Surveyor General for the warm reception and acknowledged the historical importance of the OSGF. He described tourism as a major economic driver with a wide value chain and noted 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, responsible 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.

The meeting concluded with mutual appreciation and a shared commitment to strengthening cooperation in support of tourism development and national growth.

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