The Promise and Limits of Technology: Information Technology for Decision-Making in Nigeria

Eme Owoaje, MBBS, MPhil, FWACP College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

The following quote from a global partner describes how critical data wasn’t integrated into Nigeria’s national strategy right away. The mapping was initially done by The Gates Foundation and other GPEI partners.

“It took years, I mean from 2011, 2012 to 2014, 2015, I’d say that finally they [the GIS data] were being used effectively. And I think had we done it another way, the government would have owned the maps a bit better and they would have been adopted a lot easier, but that’s kind of how it came about just like, ‘Okay, what’s our last-ditch effort to get this done?

That was our fault. And the way we went about funding that through the partners meant that it was a whole public good for Nigeria as a country. I mean, they could use that for education, planning, infrastructure. But it wasn’t set up within the government system. And then getting the government to trust that data and take it on, has been a whole process. It’s still ongoing.’”

—Global-level policymaker

Reflect on this quote, and Best practices in innovations in microplanning for polio eradication.

• Why were the data collected and maps generated through GIS not immediately used by the government?
• Does this add to or change your comments on GIS vs. administrative data in the last step of the course?

Post your thoughts in the discussion. Read other learners’ posts and provide one argument that could be used to convince the government of the utility of GIS data.