A Strategic Partnership to Build a Modern Geospatial Database for Governance, Revenue, and Economic Growth

As part of its expanding nationwide engagements, Focus Guide Maps & Directory (FGMD) has commenced strategic discussions with the Cross River Geographic Information System Agency (CRGIS) to kick-start a transformative data digitization initiative in Cross River State.
This engagement marks a major step toward building a verifiable and modern geospatial database for properties and businesses across the state—starting with a structured pilot phase in Calabar.

The proposed Calabar Data Capture Initiative (DCI) aims to digitize property and business information, improve data accessibility, and strengthen the state’s capacity for efficient governance, urban planning, and internally generated revenue (IGR).

Building a Digitally-Driven Governance Model for Cross River State

In line with the state’s commitment to modernization, the Cross River Geographic Information System Agency (CRGIS) and FGMD have expressed a joint commitment to collaborate on the comprehensive enumeration and verification of 50,000 property and business records within Calabar Municipality.

The engagement reinforces CRGIS’ mandate to:

• Provide accurate geospatial datasets for planning and development
• Strengthen IGR systems through verified property and business records
• Improve service delivery for land administration and urban management
• Drive the state toward a fully digital spatial intelligence ecosystem

FGMD, in turn, brings its national experience in geospatial technology, digital business directories, and field-based data capture to deliver a world-class operation aligned with regulatory standards, including the Nigerian Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).

Pilot Phase: 50,000 Verified Records Across Four Strategic Residential Clusters

To ensure accuracy and operational efficiency, the pilot phase of the Data Capture Initiative will focus on four key residential clusters in Calabar Municipality:

• State Housing Estate
• Federal Housing Estate
• Lemna Estate
• Ekorinim Estate

These areas were carefully selected due to their:

• High residential density
• Accessibility to field teams
• Diverse demographic characteristics
• Representativeness for scaling state-wide operations

The 3-month pilot phase will serve as a proof of concept, enabling both agencies to validate methodologies, test mobile digital tools, refine workflows, and ensure the scalability of the model.

Once completed, the pilot will deliver a verified geospatial database that becomes the foundation for full state-wide deployment.

Statement of Intent: A Unified Approach to Data Integrity and Governance Efficiency

During the stakeholder engagement, both FGMD and CRGIS reaffirmed their shared vision to collaborate on transparent, verifiable, and technology-driven data collection.

Their joint statement of intent commits to:

• Deploying trained field agents, supervisors, and data analysts
• Maintaining strict data integrity and compliance with NDPR
• Producing GIS-compatible datasets for planning and decision-making
• Aligning processes with CRGIS governance frameworks
• Establishing a scalable state-wide data capture architecture

This commitment represents a forward-looking approach to strengthening institutional capacity and positioning Cross River State as a leader in digital governance innovation.

Why This Project Matters: Strengthening Governance Through Data

The Data Capture Initiative is anchored on four core rationales:

• To create a reliable geospatial database of 50,000 property and business records
• To reinforce CRGIS’ authority as the state’s custodian of spatial intelligence
• To enhance decision-making, budgeting, and IGR optimization
• To establish a scalable model for future state-wide digitization

By addressing long-standing gaps in property and business record management, the initiative lays the groundwork for a smarter, more transparent, and economically competitive Cross River State.

A Pathway to State-Wide Digitization

The FGMD–CRGIS engagement demonstrates a shared commitment to harnessing technology for transformational governance. With accurate data, the state is better equipped to plan cities, strengthen revenue frameworks, support economic development, and build a more predictable and investor-friendly environment.

FGMD remains committed to partnering with state and federal institutions across Nigeria to drive digital inclusion, transparency, and economic advancement.