The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, NIS, raised concerns on Sunday, June 30, 2024, about the continued use of the outdated 1966/1967 map by the Nigerian government.

According to the NIS, the government’s failure to update their maps has resulted in unclear demarcations of the country’s land and resources.

The institution has urged the government to review the situation and ensure that the activities of surveyors are clearly outlined in the Land Use Act.

During the 58th Annual General Meeting and Conference held in Benin City, Edo State, the President of NIV, Dr. Matthew Ibitoye, emphasized the need for the establishment of a National Policy on Surveying and Mapping.

He said: “In my address, I told the gathering that we rely on the 1966 and 1967 maps as of today in Nigeria. So, you can now see the level to which we cannot come up with a very good development if we rely on that map.

“Nigeria has not mapped its environment since that time up till the present moment that I am talking to you. The only thing that some states did is just a fire brigade approach that is not comprehensive, so that is the bitter truth that Nigeria has not even injected money to this aspect.

“Imagine the development of a city in 1966 comparing to what we are having now, they are not the same so it is the real issue that we have been telling the government to try as much as possible to map the whole country for development.”

Regarding Sambisa Forest, known to be a stronghold of the Boko Haram terrorists, Dr Ibitoye mentioned that the forest is actually inhabited by people engaged in trading and business activities.

He stated that Sambisa is not merely a forest but a place where people live and conduct business, including foreigners who come for commercial purposes.

“We are talking of Sambisa today, Sambisa is in Nigeria and with the map of the whole country, you will be able to trace where Sambisa is, and the people are living there. Is that place really a forest or is it a place habited by people or they are not habitable?

“They make us realise today that Sambisa is a forest but do you know that some people are living in that Sambisa and they are making money in that Sambisa? Foreigners are coming from outside the country and they enter Sambisa for business, so can we say Sambisa is a forest?

“They told us that it is a forest but some activities are taking place there to show that it is not only a forest but a deposit for some minerals that can make Nigeria great,” he said.