The National Association of Surveying and Geoinformatics Lecturers (NASGL) has urged Nigerian universities to urgently modernise geomatics education as artificial intelligence (AI), drones, machine learning, LiDAR, satellite constellations and other emerging technologies continue to transform the surveying profession.
The call was made at the opening of the 5th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of NASGL, a subgroup of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), held on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the Staff Development Centre, Rivers State University. The conference was themed “Disruptive Technologies and Geomatics Education.”
Declaring the event open, the Vice-Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Richard N. Amadi, described the conference as an important intellectual platform for advancing surveying and geomatics education. He disclosed that the university had recently approved a change in the nomenclature of the relevant department to align it with contemporary professional and industry standards.
Chairman of the occasion and Chairman of the Board of Fellows, Surv. Alabo C. D. Charles, said surveying had consistently evolved alongside technological developments, from traditional instruments and manual processes to digital mapping, satellite remote sensing and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).
He noted that the latest wave of innovation was significantly different in scale, with AI, machine learning, LiDAR, digital twins and robotics fundamentally changing the way surveying and geospatial professionals operate. He urged stakeholders to embrace the changes through continuous learning and strategic preparation.
National Chairman of NASGL, Dr Y. D. Opaluwa, also called for stronger collaboration among lecturers and industry professionals, stressing that educators must prepare students for emerging technologies rather than focus solely on conventional surveying techniques.
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Delivering the keynote address, former Vice-Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof. B. B. Fakae, identified AI, machine learning, drones, satellite mega-constellations, cloud computing, Big Data, blockchain, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality as technologies reshaping the acquisition and application of geospatial information.
Fakae warned that universities could produce graduates whose skills no longer meet industry requirements if curricula and teaching methods are not urgently updated. He identified outdated curricula, limited access to modern hardware and software, weak university-industry collaboration, inadequate research funding and gaps between graduate skills and employer expectations as major challenges.
He called for continuous curriculum reviews, competency-based training, digital learning systems, stronger industry participation, continuous professional development for lecturers and the establishment of geospatial innovation hubs to promote research, entrepreneurship and technology development.
Representing the President of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Surv. P. C. Eze, FNIS, the Vice President, Academic and Professional Issues, Surv. Prof. Gertrude Nnanjar Njar, said the profession was rapidly moving from analogue mapping to real-time and automated data collection and analysis.
She identified GeoAI, machine learning, autonomous UAVs, mobile LiDAR and nano-satellite constellations as technologies redefining professional practice, noting that surveyors were increasingly moving from manual data collection towards data analysis, software-driven processes and geospatial data science.
The President of the Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON), Surv. M. O. Akinwande, FNIS, commended Rivers State University for hosting the conference and urged professionals to embrace technology while maintaining the identity, standards and regulatory principles of the surveying profession.
The organisers said the conference was designed to promote knowledge exchange, strengthen professional relationships and develop practical strategies for improving geomatics education, research and practice in Nigeria.
