Nigeria continues to demonstrate its growing capacity for
innovation and technological advancement, as Anambra State has received
international recognition at the inaugural Google Maps Platform Awards 2025,
emerging winner of the “Top Fan Vote” category for its pioneering digital
property mapping initiative.
The global recognition celebrates the state’s
forward-thinking approach to governance through the deployment of Google Maps
and Google Earth Engine technologies to modernise property enumeration, improve
mapping accuracy, and strengthen internally generated revenue through advanced
geospatial governance systems.
The award, delivered from Google’s global headquarters in
Silicon Valley, California, was formally received on behalf of the Anambra
State Government by the Executive Chairman of the Anambra State Internal
Revenue Service (AiRS), Dr Greg Ezeilo, at his office on Tuesday.
The recognition highlights the impact of the Anambra
Property and Land Use Charge (APLUC) mapping initiative, a project launched
just over a year ago to create a comprehensive digital view of properties
across the state using cutting-edge geospatial technologies.
Through the initiative, the state conducted a wide-scale
digital mapping exercise that has so far identified approximately 1.5 million
properties across Anambra, marking a significant milestone in modernising the
state’s property database.
Of these, over 553,000 properties have already been properly
clustered and captured for taxation and administrative purposes, laying the
foundation for a more efficient and transparent property tax system.
According to Dr Ezeilo, the project is expected to unlock a
reliable and sustainable revenue stream for the state, noting that once the
ongoing harmonisation process is completed, the benefits of the system will
naturally translate into improved revenue optimisation.
He also commended the dedication of the technical teams
whose expertise made the project possible, describing the initiative as a good example of how technology and data-driven governance can transform
public administration in Nigeria.
With this milestone, Anambra joins Lagos State at the
forefront of modern revenue administration in the country, demonstrating how
strategic adoption of technology can reshape government systems and strengthen
economic foundations.
The Google Maps Platform Awards, established to commemorate
20 years of global mapping innovation, recognise projects around the world that
demonstrate outstanding impact, creativity, technological application, and
public support.
In the 2025 edition of the awards, the AiRS Digital Property
Management Project distinguished itself among more than 4,000 entries submitted
globally, ultimately securing victory in the fan vote category.
The recognition not only celebrates Anambra’s progress but
also reflects the broader story of Nigeria’s growing leadership in digital
governance and technological innovation across Africa and beyond
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