{"id":76036,"date":"2025-08-11T11:49:34","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T10:49:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/africa\/?p=76036"},"modified":"2025-09-01T10:17:02","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T09:17:02","slug":"map-africa-initiative-esri-microsoft-and-space42-to-deliver-high-resolution-geospatial-data-for-africas-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intelligentcio.com\/africa\/2025\/08\/11\/map-africa-initiative-esri-microsoft-and-space42-to-deliver-high-resolution-geospatial-data-for-africas-growth\/","title":{"rendered":"Map Africa Initiative: Esri, Microsoft and Space42 to deliver high-resolution geospatial data for Africa\u2019s growth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s mapping challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of Africa\u2019s official maps are fragmented, outdated or difficult to access, leaving governments, businesses and communities to make critical decisions with incomplete data.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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are proud to support the Map Africa Initiative in partnership with Space42,\u201d said Jack Dangermond, Esri President. \u201cTransforming 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPartnership is core to the UAE\u2019s DNA and is central to how Space42 operates,\u201d said Hasan Al Hosani, CEO of Smart Solutions, Space42. \u201cThis collaboration with Microsoft and Esri is more than technical; it\u2019s strategic. It advances Space42\u2019s business priorities, strengthens our role as a trusted partner to governments and delivers meaningful benefits to communities across Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initiative will generate long-term value across several sectors including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n