Integrated Automation and Interactive GIS Web Portal Enhances Business Operations.

Khatib & Alami (K&A) team has successfully completed a 9-month groundbreaking GIS project for the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. The overall objective of the project is to increase provision of reliable information and knowledge to enhance the promotion of investment in the sector using technology-driven innovation which will, in turn, help increase the sector’s GDP contribution significantly. This portal is designed for mining investors to perform business processes, such as online mining licenses and mineral titles applications, online payment of royalties and fees, database for revenue drive, and to block revenue leakages. It is credible, provides timely information and performs and responds to online queries, business intelligence/analytics, reports and statistical data generation.

Nigeria: A Rising Giant

Often referred to as the “Giant of Africa” with its large population and economy, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world. As of 2015, Nigeria is the world's 20th largest economy, worth more than $500 billion and $1 trillion in terms of nominal GDP and purchasing power parity respectively. It overtook South Africa to become Africa's largest economy in 2014. The 2013 debt-to-GDP ratio was 11 percent. Nigeria is considered to be an emerging market by the World Bank; it has been identified as a regional power on the African continent.

As a major step in consolidating “ease-of-doing-business” in the mining sector, the Nigerian Federal Government decided to develop an Integrated Automation and Interactive GIS Web Portal for the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.

This portal is a cutting–edge initiative that leverages technology for the innovation, efficiency and effectiveness of the mineral sector governance, making Nigeria a mining destination again.

The project was successfully launched during the 2nd Annual Nigeria Mining Week which aims at sharing best practices and demonstrating the latest strategies in promoting the mining sector successfully. The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who demonstrated some geological enquiries on the GIS web portal (portal.minesandsteel.gov.ng), during the inauguration, said the e-platform would aid the steady growth of the mining sector and contribute to the realization of the administration’s goal of diversifying the economy’s revenue base, creating jobs, and broadening the range of available economic opportunities to Nigerians.

Turning Around Nigeria’s Mining Fortunes

K&A helped the Nigerian Ministry of Mines and Steel Development achieve its vision by building five GIS applications and conducting a Comprehensive Capacity Building Program for the Ministry and its affiliated agencies’ staff between Nigeria and Dubai. The Geo-Mining Portal Modules include the Geo-Mining Application, the Executive Dashboard, the Geo-Mining Investor Application, Cadastre units selection for License Granting system, the Geo-Mining Editor & Data Collection Modules, and the Comprehensive Capacity Building Program.

Among the multiple deliverables of the project, K&A has covered the Business Processes Re-engineering, the building of a GIS Web Portal with a Business Automation System, the Content Management System (CMS), the Geographic Information System (GIS), the Decision Support System, and the collaboration and upgrade of the ICT Infrastructure of the Ministry.