The AfriGEO Symposium 2025

Theme: From Data to Impact: Strengthening Africa’s Geospatial Future

Date: 7^th – 9^th October, 2025

Venue: Dakar, Senegal

 

Overview

AfriGEO is an initiative of the African continent developed within the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) framework, that provides a coordination framework for Africa’s participation in GEO and contribute to the development of GEOSS. AfriGEO consists of Africa-based GEO member states (32) and more than 15 participating regional institutions together known as the African Caucus. The AfriGEO initiative, strengthens the link between the current GEO activities with existing capabilities and initiatives in Africa and provides the necessary framework for countries and organizations to access and leverage on-going bilateral and multilateral EO-based initiatives across Africa, thereby creating synergies and minimizing duplication for the benefit of the entire continent.

Concept

As Africa continues to harness geospatial technologies for sustainable development, Africa GEO players have to ensure that Earth Intelligence is accessible to all, governments, policymakers, businesses, researchers, and communities. This year’s symposium theme underscores the critical role of Earth Observation (EO) data and geospatial technologies in shaping Africa’s future. It also highlights the importance of transforming raw data into actionable insights that drive policy, economic growth, disaster resilience, and sustainable development in line with the GEO Post 2025 Strategy and Implementation Plan.

The symposium aims at exploring key aspects:

1.    The Power of Data: Advancing Africa’s Geospatial Ecosystem

The continent generates vast amounts of EO data from satellites, drones, and ground sensors. There’s need for improved data collection, accessibility, and sharing among governments, academia, private sector, and communities.

2.    Translating Data into Impactful Decisions

Africa faces challenges such as climate change food insecurity, urbanization, and natural disasters. How can geospatial data be effectively integrated into decision-making to enhance resilience, governance, and planning?

3.    Strengthening Geospatial Infrastructure and Collaboration

Africa needs robust data infrastructure, policies, and technical capacity to harness EO effectively. Strengthening partnerships among governments, regional bodies, AfriGEO, GEO, and the private sector is essential.

4.    Driving Innovation for Sustainable Development

Emerging technologies like AI, big data analytics, and cloud computing are revolutionizing EO applications. Africa must embrace these innovations to drive economic growth, environmental sustainability, and digital transformation.

5.    Capacity Building and Inclusivity

Investing in geospatial education and training will equip Africa’s workforce with the necessary skills. Bridging the gender and youth gap in EO applications ensures inclusive and equitable development.

The AfriGEO Symposia

The AfriGEO symposia have been held annually since 2016. They are an opportunity for the AfriGEO Community to network, engage, share and co-develop impactful and sustainable solutions that support and address Africa’s developmental challenges using earth observation.

The AfriGEO symposium 2025 therefore aims at building on the efforts of the previous symposia, providing a platform to begin this engagement and walk by bringing together experts from various spheres to discuss, unlock and activate the aspect of Integration, co-design, user engagement, partnership and capacity development in Africa.

The AfriGEO Symposium will focus on key thematic areas:

• Agriculture, Food Security, Soil Moisture and Agricultural Outreach Support

• Biodiversity, Land degradation and Sustainable Forest Management

• Land Cover for Africa, Land administration, Sustainable Urban Development

• Blue economy and Water Resource Management

• Climate Services and Adaptation.

• Health, air quality and Disaster Management.

• Innovation, Data and Infrastructure

 

Join us as we champion for Earth Intelligence for Africa.

Registration Deadline: 31^st August, 2025