From LISSU to e-GIS: Revisiting Three Decades of GIS Implementation for Land-Use Planning and Management in Lagos, Nigeria

Publication Details

Publication Date

10/09/2026

Volume / Issue

Vol 1, Issue 4 (2026)

Article No.

013

Journal

British Journal of Contemporary Research

DOI

https://doi.org/10.67693/BJCR-JCARJQGB

Received

13 Aug 2026

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5

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0

Abstract

The implementation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Lagos has passed through several projects, institutional arrangements and technological generations. Yet the central problem has remained remarkably consistent: how to convert a technically promising system into a dependable part of land-use planning and management. This critical narrative review revisits the Lagos experience from the Land Information System Support Unit (LISSU), through the Lagos State Planning Information Centre (LASPIC) and the Lagos State Geographic Information System (LAGIS), to electronic title processing and the enterprise e-GIS programme launched publicly in 2024. Earlier papers written between 2001 and 2014 are treated as historical evidence and examined alongside current research on digital land administration, spatial data infrastructure and public-sector digital transformation. Official accounts show important progress in record digitisation, electronic titles, state-wide mapping, inter-agency GIS units and online land services. However, there is little independent post-implementation evidence on cadastral completeness, planning integration, service performance, local access or the continued use of shared data across agencies. The Lagos experience indicates that technology alone has never been the main limitation. Project continuity, representative piloting, data custodianship, professional capacity, workflow redesign and public accountability have been more persistent concerns. The paper argues that the present e-GIS phase should be judged by its contribution to everyday planning decisions rather than by the visibility of its portal or equipment. A durable implementation agenda is proposed around coverage, interoperability, institutional responsibility, local service delivery, performance measurement and continuous professional learning. These lessons are relevant to other rapidly urbanising cities where repeated digital projects have not always produced sustained institutional change.

License

This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License . Free to read, share, and adapt with attribution.