In November 2009, GeoQinetiq invited students in higher education institutions across the country to participate in the GeoQinetiq Geomatics Prize 2010 for the most outstanding projects in Geomatics for the preceding year (1st October 2009 to 30th September 2010). A lot of effort was spent in the quest to convince students and other stakeholders that the Prize was definitely going to be awarded, and that it was worth their while spending all the weeks and months of difficult exertions to plan, execute, document and present their various interesting, intriguing, innovative and industrious projects.

The main purpose of establishing this prize is to promote, stimulate and sustain interest in deeper understanding of the theories and practice of Geomatics in institutions of higher learning in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as well as build awareness of the role of Geomatics in national development among the general public. Even more important is the expectation that the prestige of the GeoQinetiq Geomatics Gold Medal and Prize will, over the comings years, draw even more talented students into the field which will in turn lead to an appreciable improvement in the standards of the practice of the sciences of Geomatics. Furthermore, the GeoQinetiq Geomatics Gold Medal and Prize will expand and deepen the understanding of senior decision-makers, both in Government and Industry, of the potential of Geomatics techniques and their application to national development. 
This year marks the first award of the GeoQinetiq Geomatics Gold Medal and Prize, but already, the GeoQinetiq Board has taken delivery of ten Gold Medals from the Mint to ensure that students and the Nigerian public are not in any doubt about the longevity and sustainability of the prize for the future. In the coming years, the Prize will no doubt attract additional sponsors from within and outside Nigeria in order to increase the value of the award to include Geomatics equipment as well as opportunities for further study at the best Universities and Polytechnics around the world.

The GeoQinetiq Board also believes that this contribution to Nigeria’s technological development could be a template for other prizes for other fields in the technical sciences and hopes that the GeoQinetiq Geomatics Gold Medal and Prize will remain not just a pioneering conferment, but also an enduring Award, which will define and quicken the pace of the indigenous industrial development of Nigeria. The Board is confident that this drive to educate decision and policy makers on the role of Geomatics in Nigeria’s development will continue to gain momentum and translate to wider opportunities for the profession within Nigeria.

Expert Panel of Judges

•Prof. Christian Ezeigbo, B.Sc. (Nigeria); M.Sc., PhD (Lagos) – Chairman, Nigerian Association of Geodesy

•Prof. Francis Fajemirokun, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Nigeria); PhD (Ohio) – President, Nigerian Union of Planetary and Radio Sciences

•Prof. Peter Nwilo B.Sc., M.Sc. (Lagos); PhD (Salford) – Associate Professor, Dept of Geoinformatics, University of Lagos

•Surveyor Mohammed N. Yahaya – Member, Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reforms, Pioneer Registrar, Surveyors Council of Nigeria, emeritus Surveyor General of the Federation

•Juliet Ezechie – Managing Director, GeoQinetiq Limited

Profile of Speaker

DR DOZIE EZIGBALIKE, PhD

Dr. Dozie Ezigbalike is the Data Management Coordinator in the African Centre for Statistics (ACS) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), a position he has held since December 2009. He joined UNECA in 2001 as a Development Management Officer (Geoinformation), in the erstwhile Development Information Services Division (DISD). In 2002 he was seconded to UNECA’s Institutional Strengthening Programme (ISP) as the Knowledge Management Coordinator and served in that capacity for 18 months, before returning to DISD as a Senior Geographic Information Systems Officer, and subsequently the Chief of the Geoinformation Systems Section in the ICT Science & Technology Division (ISTD) that replaced DISD.

While in DISD and ISTD, Dozie provided strategic direction to UNECA’s work in the field of geoinformation, with emphasis on implementing the African Reference Frame (AFREF) and supporting member States to develop national spatial infrastructures. His current responsibility focuses on supporting member States to adopt sound data management practices to ensure that statistical data are used in evidence-based decision making, as well as incorporating geospatial technologies in statistical processes.

Before joining UNECA, Dozie lectured at the Universities of Zimbabwe (1988 – 1990), Melbourne (1990 – 1998) and Botswana (1998 – 2000). He was a Visiting Scholar to the Sasol Centre for Innovative Environmental Management of the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (2000-2001), where he contributed to the data management initiatives of the SAFARI 2000 project.

In the distant past, Dozie started work as a Land Surveyor, dealing mostly with civil engineering projects. His National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) primary assignment was with Ado Ya’u and Co. Ltd in Kano, which at the time was working on highway projects. After NYSC, he joined the Kano State Ministry of Rural and Community Development, where he justified the need for a Surveying Section and established the section in the Engineering Division. From the Ministry, he moved to Ali Tahir & Co. Ltd based in Kano where, as the Acting Chief Surveyor, he was in charge of the surveying activities on four highway projects for the Kaduna State Government. He also worked on a water pipeline project in Arochukwu with Hydro Tech moving to academics.

Dozie holds a PhD in Land Information Management from the University of New Brunswick in Canada (1988). He started his geomatics education at the Enugu Campus of the University of Nigeria with a BSc (Hons) degree in Land Surveyor (1979). He obtained an MSc in Land Surveying from the Ahmadu Bellow University in Zaria (1983), where his thesis dealt with the computerization of the Nigerian geodetic records.

Profile of Speaker

DR SEIDU O. MOHAMMED

Seidu Onailo Mohammed was born on the 17^th of August, 1960 in the ancient town of Abejukolo in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State. He had his early education in Ankpa, Kogi State and he is currently an alumnus of several institutions including University of Jos, Nigeria; the International Institute for Geo-information and Earth Observation (ITC), Twente University, the Netherlands; Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun, Uttah Pradesh Province, India; andthe University of Chicago Illinois, USA; just to mention a few. Dr. Mohammed holds a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Environmental Remote Sensing from the Bayero University, Kano.

On his working career, Dr. Mohammed has at various times served as Director-General of the Kogi State Directorate of Rural Development; Managing Director of the Nigerian Satellite Imageries and Consultancy Limited; Director and Chief Executive Officer, National Centre for Remote Sensing, Jos; and currently Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Space Research and Development Agency.

Profile of Expert Judge PROF. FRANCIS FAJEMIROKUN Prof. Francis Fajemirokun obtained the B.Sc (Surveying) degree in 1966 at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.  He had his postgraduate training at the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio where he obtained the M.Sc and Ph.D degrees in Geodetic Science in 1968 and 1971 respectively.

DR PROF FAJEMIROKUN
Prof. Fajemirokun lectured at the Department of Surveying & Geoinformatics, University of Lagos from 1973 until his retirement in 2008.  He was a Visiting Professor at California State University, Fresuo 1981/1982.  In 1982, he was appointed Professor of Surveying at the University of Lagos, where he held many administrative positions, including Dean of Engineering (1983 – 1987), Dean of Postgraduate Studies (1991 – 1995) and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services) (2005 – 2006). Prof. Fajemirokun’s areas of expertise include geodesy mathematical modeling, geodetic network observations and adjustment, structural and crustal deformation survey and analysis, gravity surveys, tidal analysis and datum determination, and datum transformation. Prof. Fajemirokun is a Fellow and Past president of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors.  He is the Past president of the Nigerian Union of Planetary and Radios Sciences (the I.U.G.G adhering body in Nigeria).  He participated and presented papers in many learned conferences – national and international.  He is married with children.

Profile of Expert Judge

JULIET N. EZECHIE

Juliet Ezechie has been working as a Space Geodesist for over 19 years. After an undergraduate degree in mathematics at the University of Wales, she was introduced to the world of Geodesy at what was then the Civil Engineering Department at Nottingham University , now the internationally renowned Institute of Engineering Surveying and Space Geodesy.

After completion of her M.Sc. she joined Racal Decca (now known as THALES NAVIGATION) where she contributed to the development and deployment of the first Global differential GPS system Skyfix™.

Not satisfied with the challenges of the offshore Oil and Gas industry, Juliet returned to the University of London where she specialised in the development of techniques and algorithms for the exploitation of satellite positioning systems with particular emphasis on the effects of ionospheric scintillation.

Juliet then returned to industry, taking up a position with Leica Geosystems as the UK Global Navigation Satellite System Technical and Project Manager, working with colleagues across Europe, Asia and America in technical developments and innovations.

Ensuring she stayed up to date with Global Navigation Satellite Systems, Juliet was then seconded to the European Commission where she worked as a Project Manager with THALES Navigation and THALES Air Traffic Management on the development of the Ground Mission Segment for the forthcoming European Global Navigation Satellite System, Galileo.

Juliet Ezechie then returned to Leica Geosystems as Specialist Project Manager where she notably established their unique Educational Industrial collaborations and the development of the first national British Network RTK service.

She is an indigene of Delta State, and married with two sons and three daughters.

Profile of Expert Judge

PROF. PETER C. NWILO 

Prof. P.C. Nwilo is a Professor and former sub-dean of the school of post graduate studies and former Head of the Department of Surveying & Geoinformatics, University of Lagos, Lagos – Nigeria.. He was pioneer head of the department of research planning & enviroment. Lokoja. He is also the Coordinator of the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem ( GCLME ) /UNILAG Regional Centre for Environmental Information Management System at the University of Lagos, Lagos.

Professor. Nwilo has a Ph.D. in Environmental Resources from the University of Salford, United Kingdom. He also has a Bachelor of Science and an Master of Science in Surveying from the University of Lagos. His Ph.D. Thesis is on Sea Level Variations and the Impacts along the Coastal Areas of Nigeria.

He is a registered surveyor, a member of the Nigeria Institution of Surveyors, an Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Environment Education and Information, University of Salford, U.K., an Honorary Advisory Board Member of the Encyclopedia of Life Support System and an Editorial Board Member of the African Geodetic Journal. He is also the editor in Chief of the Nigerian journal of Surveying & Geoinformatics.

Professor. Nwilo had a fellowship Award of the European Community for his Ph.D.; and was a Federal Government of Nigeria scholar for his M.Sc. and B.Sc. degrees. Professor Nwilo has over 70 publications in journals and conferences in the areas of surveying, coastal management, oil spill, sea level variations, subsidence and environmental management. He has also co-edited 4 books. Professor Nwilo is married with children.

Profile of Expert Judge

PROF. CHRISTIAN U. EZEIGBO 

Prof. C.U. Ezeigbo holds B.Sc. (Maths), M.Sc. and Ph.D. (Surveying). He is a registered surveyor and member of many professional bodies. He was a Commonwealth Universities’ staff fellow to the University of Nottingham in 1982 and twice UNESCO fellow to the University of Nairobi, Kenya in 1991 and 2001.

Prof. Ezeigbo was the Ag Head of Surveying and Geoinformatics Department from 1992-1994. He became the substantive Head of the Department from 1997-2000. He is currently the national representative on the international Geoid Commission, national representative of International Association of Geodesy, the Chairman of Nigeria Association of Geodesy (NAG) and the President Nigerian Union of Planetary and Radios Sciences (the I.U.G.G adhering body in Nigeria).

Prof. C.U. Ezeigbo was the chairman of the Faculty of Engineering Research and Publication Committee (1995-1997), chairman of Hall of Residence Management Committee (1994-1995). He was the chairman of Faculty of Engineering Internet Facilities’ committee (2002-2006), and chairman of University of Lagos Bookshop management Board (2002-2005). He was also a member of University of Lagos Senate Honours Committee between 1997 and 1999. He was also a member of academic board of Federal Survey School Oyo (1993-1995). He worked for the Federal Surveys of Nigeria between 1972 – 1977, during which period he was involved in the survey of Lagos-West boundary and supervised the following projects: Establishment of geodetic controls and topographic mapping of the areas of the old Plateau, Bauchi, Gongola and Sokoto States. In 1977, he was appointed the officer-in-charge of the Gusau field headquarters, a post he held until he joined the University of Lagos in November 1977.

Prof. Ezeigbo has had over thirty-one years of university teaching and research experience before he retired at the mandatory retirement age of 65 in June 2007. His publications, over eighty in number, cover a wide range of areas. He is an expert in physical and satellite geodesy, mathematical modelling techniques, geodetic network design and management, and environmental impact studies. He is among a team of consultants currently involved in the adjustment and analysis of Nigerian Geodetic control networks and has been involved in the execution of a number of consultancy projects for many companies and survey organizations.