Namibia Spatial Data Infrastructure

Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) has launched a national geographic portal to support the citizens in searching, evaluating and using data from different government institutions.

Challenge

The Government of Namibia, through its institutions, has ownership and access to a broad range of spatial data relevant to other government agencies, private entities and the general public. The challenge has been to make the user groups aware of what data are available — and to provide solutions through which they may identify, access and explore those data.

It has become an increasingly common principle in national legislation that national governments should be responsible for providing and maintaining a national spatial data infrastructure (NSDI) in the same way they are responsible for traditional infrastructure like roads, rail and telecommunication.

Namibia has adopted this principle and placed operational responsibility with NSA. After thoroughly researching available SDI solutions in the market, NSA invited Norplan subsidiary Asplan Viak Internet (Avinet) to bid to implement core NSDI components such as geoportal and a metadata browser.

Scope of work

Norplan, through Avinet (a wholly owned technology subsidiary in the Norplan group), has designed and implemented the technical infrastructure of the Namibian National Spatial Data Infrastructure

Purpose of the work

The primary objectives of the project were to:

  • Provide technology for a geoportal and a metadata management solution
  • Provide training and competence
  • Provide long-term support

The main tasks in the project were:

  • Feasibility and inception study
  • System development and customisation
  • Installation and configuration
  • Training and capacity building
  • Professional support in establishing an NSDI

In addition, Norplan hosted a delegation from Namibia Statistics Agency to Norway in 2017. The delegation visited the Norwegian Mapping and Cadastre Authority, and the Norwegian Statistics Agency and attended the national conference for geomatics – GeoForum 2017.

Description of services provided

The National Spatial Data Infrastructure for Namibia is available at the following URLs:

  1. National Metadata Browser – http://geofind.nsa.org.na/
  2. National Geoportal – http://digitalnamibia.nsa.org.na/

Project illustrations

Project data

Internal Project Number  801114
Project Title Consultancy to develop the National Spatial Data Infrastructure – Namibia Geographic Portal
Project Category Digital Transformation, SDI, Technology, Adaptive
Fields of Expertise Spatial Data, Geomatics, System Development, Standardisation, Training
Participating Offices Arendal, Brussels, Sandvika, Trondheim
Deliverables Inception Report, System (Geoportal and Metadata management solution), Training, Documentation
Project Duration  March – August 2017
Project Location Windhoek – Namibia
NORPLAN Contact Person Mr. Tor Gunnar Øverli, Managing Director Norplan
Client Namibia Statistics Agency
Client Contact Person Mr. Alex Mudabeti, Deputy Director for spatial data and national spatial data infrastructure Namibia,
Project Value
Skills

Posted on

25.09.2017