The Map Africa Initiative, led by Esri, Microsoft and Space42, will produce the most comprehensive basemap of Africa, boosting infrastructure planning, economic growth and sustainable development.
The Map Africa Initiative, a five-year partnership between Esri, Microsoft and Space42, will deliver the most comprehensive basemap of Africa to date, providing high-resolution, scalable geospatial data across all 54 African countries to benefit more than 1.4 billion people.
Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Space42 and Microsoft to drive the project, which aims to support economic growth, infrastructure planning and sustainable development. The agreement was formalised in July during the 2025 Esri User Conference in San Diego, California, where the partners outlined how their combined capabilities will address Africa’s mapping challenges.
Many of Africa’s official maps are fragmented, outdated or difficult to access, leaving governments, businesses and communities to make critical decisions with incomplete data. This has hindered progress in areas such as infrastructure investment, public services and environmental management. By providing accurate, locally managed geospatial data, the Map Africa Initiative will give decision-makers the tools they need to plan, invest and innovate more effectively.
“We are proud to support the Map Africa Initiative in partnership with Space42,” said Jack Dangermond, Esri President. “Transforming satellite imagery into detailed, accurate basemaps at continental scale requires advanced geospatial technology and professional production workflows. With Map Africa, we are helping to establish a foundational resource that will drive infrastructure planning, economic growth and sustainable development across the continent.”
Space42, a UAE-based AI and space technology company, will lead fundraising and project management, as well as provide satellite data. Esri will manage basemap production workflows using its GeoAI and remote sensing capabilities, while also supporting regional hubs to train local teams and build long-term technical capacity. Microsoft will supply secure cloud infrastructure and AI frameworks through Azure, enabling large-scale data processing, integration and sharing across the continent.
“Partnership is core to the UAE’s DNA and is central to how Space42 operates,” said Hasan Al Hosani, CEO of Smart Solutions, Space42. “This collaboration with Microsoft and Esri is more than technical; it’s strategic. It advances Space42’s business priorities, strengthens our role as a trusted partner to governments and delivers meaningful benefits to communities across Africa.”
The initiative will generate long-term value across several sectors including:
- Ports and logistics: Enhanced mapping will improve route planning and reduce inefficiencies
- Renewable energy: Site selection models will optimise solar and wind deployment
- Security and disaster response: Governments will gain tools to monitor borders, manage resources and co-ordinate emergency responses
- Smart Cities and digital economies: Accurate maps will support urban planning, public services and technology deployment
Map Africa data will be licensed to national governments, enabling them to retain ownership and update information through their national mapping agencies. This approach is designed to ensure sustainability and local control. The project will also stimulate the growth of a commercial ecosystem for African startups focused on location-based services and applications.
Over time, the data will be hosted in G42 and Microsoft-managed data centres within Africa, ensuring secure storage, regional accessibility and compliance with local data governance frameworks.
