A Journey into GIS: From Nigerian Universities to Global Impact
At a time in my Undergraduate Studies, I got a clear understanding of what #esri is capable of in GIS Applications. I fell in love and dreamt of working with them someday. Today is a dream come true to work at @sambusgis the official @Esri distributor across West Africa. – X, Olumide Ogungbemi, 7 September, 2021.
Olumide reading the ESRI Map Book at ESRI Representative Office in Nigeria
The journey from admiring the power of location intelligence in the pages of the Esri Map Book when I was an undergraduate to joining the West African distributor, Sambus Geospatial (SGL), Nigeria’s office has been nothing short of incredible. As the above tweet shows, a moment from those formative years, when I was so engrossed in the Esri Map Book, a dream started. Receiving "Congratulations Olumide! Welcome to the team." response on that tweet from Esri really capped the realization of a long-held dream.
Prior to working with Esri representative, during my undergraduate years that my interest in GIS was sparked, seeing it as a tool to address real-world challenges. The initial realization and enthusiasm, boosted by resources such as the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and Esri Map Book, prompted me not only to take up a career but to close the GIS awareness gap in Nigeria and Africa beyond.
First Day in office (June 2021) working with ESRI Representative in Nigeria.
Global Exposure with Esri: The 41st Esri User Conference
My first major exposure to the global GIS community was at the 41st Esri User Conference in 2021. Reflecting on that experience, I remember documenting the experience on blog story, “The 41st Conference was my first attendance which not only opened me up to understanding various areas that I wouldn’t have imagined could be explored using geographic applications, but it also revealed the importance of geography in solving world issues needed for a sustainable future.” This experience has guided my work, shaping how I approach GIS awareness and capacity building.
First ESRI UC - Virtually (July 2021)
Pioneering the Esri GIS Club in Nigeria
My working conditions with Esri representative in Nigeria provided me with the platform to work on my interest area in professional training and education in GIS. Being the first R&D Specialist and Professional Services Assistant of Sambus Geospatial, Nigeria's ESRI distributor, I had a very good experience in the geospatial industry. It was during this time that I could recognize some of the immediate and long-term answers towards bridging the GIS awareness gap in Nigeria. I was excited to spearhead Nigeria's first ESRI GIS Club, which was announced at the ESRI UC West Africa 2024 as being the lead of ESRI GIS club initiative, a testament to the power of cooperative, ground-up efforts in building excitement about GIS among youth.
Group photo, ESRI GIS Club (UNILORIN – Department of Surveying and GeoInformatics, University of Ilorin. Nigeria)
Presentation, ESRI GIS Club (UNILAG – Department of Geography, University of Lagos. Nigeria)
Group photo. ESRI GIS Club (FUTA – Department of Remote Sensing and Geoscience Information Systems, Federal University of Technology Akure. Nigeria)
Preaching the ESRI Africa GeoPortal Community Platform
With the assistance of GISfor Africa and the ESRI Africa GeoPortal community team, the project began making significant strides. My work with GISfor Africa allowed me to conduct critical tasks that helped further accelerate the endeavor:
- Development Project Manager – Coordinated some GIS-related activities in Africa to certify projects aligned with strategic goals and delivered results.
- Data and Research Consultant – Guided three GIS users in Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia, who successfully employed data from the Esri Africa GeoPortal to carry out research that provided actionable insights.
Along with these efforts, I also propagated the Africa GeoPortal platform actively. I made physical presentations at FUTA, Unilorin, and the UNILAG to start the program. The sessions introduced students to the Africa GeoPortal community and illustrated how the platform capacity can increase decision-making, planning, and analysis.
Pauline Okeyo, Senior Solution Engineer for the Middle East and Africa region, supported with resources for my undergraduate walkthrough sessions. In her response.
My experiences from mentoring new users and pushing GIS initiatives, to representing Sambus Geospatial at Nigerian universities shows how platforms like the ESRI Africa GeoPortal can empower the next generation of geospatial professionals across the continent.
ESRI Africa GeoPortal webinar
Expanding GIS Awareness Across Universities in Nigeria
The impact of these initiatives was significant, showing how GIS can be applied to a wide range of fields. My efforts included being a key part of the organizing team for the awareness campaign for ESRI titled “Modern GIS Across Universities,” which featured a talk by Dr. Michael Gould from Esri. Through this and similar engagements, I’ve seen how exposing students to GIS can create interest, intention, and innovation.
Modern GIS across universities in Nigeria webinar
Engagement with the Global GIS Community
This is my fifth year at the ESRI user conference and my first year attending in person (as a student assistant), Also, I was part of organizer for the first ESRI UC (2024) West Africa something I am extremely fortunate to do so. By continuing my participation in the Esri conferences, through the inspiration of more young people to get into GIS, I hope that we shall be empowering a new generation of professionals who can tackle some of the largest problems in the world.
ESRI UC 2025 Student Assistants with Jack Dangermond
ESRI UC 2025 Student Assistants
Looking Ahead: Africa's GIS Future
I envision a future where GIS is central to solving Africa’s most pressing challenges. Through sensitization, youth mentorship, and capacity development, I am convinced that we can mobilize innovation that fosters community transformation. My call to action to readers: join the ESRI Africa GeoPortal Community, be part of Esri YPN as member, and be involved in initiative to leverage geography as a force for good in Nigeria and Africa.
ESRI UC 2025 as Student Assistant
I hope this article was motivating for you. I would love to hear how GIS has been instrumental for your career journey. Feel free to reach me via email at olustephenlucasruka@gmail.com or connect with me via LinkedIn [Olumide S. Ogungbemi]. I welcome your thoughts and comments.
