International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B4. Istanbul 2004 
activities, particularly in the capture, processing, storage, 
management and communication or sharing of geospatial 
dataset, has been considered as part of the comprehensive 
benefits of a communication satellite. 
The outline of the proposed communication satellite, based on a 
survey conducted by NASRDA (NASRDA, 2003b), includes a 
20 hybrid transponders with 15 years life spans and coverage of 
the African continent, Middle East and Europe. The project is 
expected to commence in 2004 and the satellite itself will be 
launched in 2006. 
2.2.3 African Resource Management Satellite Project: A 
joint satellite programme of South Africa, Nigeria and Algeria 
and any other interested country in Africa would form the 
cornerstone of the African Resource Management (ARM) 
Satellite Constellation, laying the foundation of sustainable 
technology development in Africa. The ARM initiative was 
proposed by South Africa and supported by Nigeria as 
documented in a joint space technology project proposal 
between South Africa and Nigeria (Mostert et al, 2003). 
The project is one of the key flagship projects in the NEPAD 
Science and Technology Ministerial Programme areas. The 
countries involved would collaborate in building capacity to 
support space programmes in Africa. Such a programme would 
benefit Nigeria in advancing the realization of the objectives of 
its space policy. 
The space segment of the system will consist of identical 
satellites to be built together by participating African engineers. 
Each satellite will have a high-resolution payload with a 2.5 
meters resolution in panchromatic mode and a 5m resolution in 
multi-spectral mode in 6 spectral bands. The satellites will be 
phased to operate in constellation and will be accessed through 
the integration of the individual ground stations. 
2.3 Monitoring of the Nigerian Environment 
Observations of the Earth's atmospheric system are essential for 
a better understanding of the atmosphere, ozone depletion, 
global warming, seal-level rise, atmospheric and water 
pollution, floods, droughts, land degradation and desertification, 
deforestation and loss of biodiversity, mitigation of natural 
disasters, freshwater availability, agricultural services and 
hazardous wastes disposals. These observations constitute 
challenges that can be met by strengthening monitoring 
facilities for the observation of the earth-atmospheric system 
and collection of reliable data, as well as provision of 
frameworks for promoting synergy among relevant national and 
international programmes to ensure linkage with all counties. 
The implications of the Earth's Observing System (EOS) to 
sustainable development, according to Obasi (2002), include the 
delivery of increasingly accurate and reliable data and warnings 
of severe events related to weather, water, climate and natural 
environment and ensuring that the warnings reach their target 
audience in a timely and useful manner, as well as the 
enhancement of the relationship between meteorological factors 
and the quality of agricultural production, water resources 
management, aviation and marine navigation services and 
environmental protection. 
296 
To actualize the implementation of the EOS-related 
programmes in Nigeria through the provision of awareness on 
the usefulness of the weather observations and environmental 
data services, the Nigerian Government established a National 
Meteorological Services Agency (NAMSA) to provide the 
appropriate metrological services for Nigeria. Furthermore, 
NAMSA is to facilitate efficient linkage and cooperation with 
the Integrated Global Observing Strategy Partnership (IGOSP) 
to enable Nigeria derive maximum benefits from its various 
programmes such as the Global Ocean Observing Systems 
(GOOS), Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), etc. 
Taking advantage of sharp images of the changing weather from 
the recently launched meteosat second generation (MSG-1) 
satellite, for example, all countries in Africa, including Nigeria, 
have agreed under a unique partnership to transform the data to 
useful information in support of sustainable development. 
Accordingly, a task force on preparation for the Use of 
Meteorological Generation in Africa (PUMA) and African 
Monitoring of the Environment for Sustainable Development 
(AMESD) projects has been set up to provide better network of 
data and services for early warning of disasters, improved food 
security, better health management, more efficient water and 
energy use and safer transport. 
3.0 DEVELOPMENT OF NGDI 
In order to streamline interaction between space technology and 
the objectives set by the Federal Government of Nigeria for the 
improvement of the quality of life of its people, the Space 
Application Support for Sustainable Development (SASSD) 
programme was devised in addition to the earlier stated 
initiatives. ^ Realisation of these objectives depends on 
availability and speedy access to real-time data and availability 
of relevant infrastructures for data acquisition, processing, 
standardisation and data sharing. This is only achievable 
through the development of a National Geospatial Data 
Infrastructure (NGDI). 
Towards a final realisaton of the objectives of the NGDI, the 
implementation of which has been attempted without success 
between 1996 and 1997, a National Committee was established 
and inaugurated by the Hon. Minister of Science and 
Technology in September 2002 to draft a GI policy for the 
country. The draft, which was circulated to stakeholders for 
comments including a stakeholders’ workshop, was submitted 
to the Hon Minister in September 2003. The policy is expected 
to guide the realization of the NGDI in the country. Highlights 
of the policy objectives, policy items and implementation 
strategy are: presented below (full document and further 
information can be found at www.rectas.org, 
a.gov.ng and in Kufoniyi, 2004; NASRDA, 2003a 
www.nasrd g 
and UNECA, et al 2003). 
  
3.1 Policy Objectives 
The objectives of the national GI policy are to: 
e Facilitate coordinated production and utilisation of 
Geospatial Data (GD) which are common to multiple 
applications to eliminate duplication of efforts & wastage of 
resources 
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