OpenStreetMap: From Global Action to Local Impact – Leveraging Open Map Data for the SDGs” -Training Workshop facilitated for AFRIGIST Alumni Network supported by Unique Mappers Nigeria

Posted by vicksun on 15 December 2025 in English. Last updated on 16 December 2025.

The AFRIGIST Alumni International Network Online Training Workshop on “OpenStreetMap: From Global Action to Local Impact – Leveraging Open Map Data for the SDGs” was successfully delivered, with over 30 participants and trainees joining from different AFRIGIST alumni beneficiary countries across Africa. It was a 2-days workshop held on 15th and 16th December,2025.

The training was facilitated by Dr. Victor Ndubuisi Sunday, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer, Geography & Environmental Management, University of Port Harcourt, and National Coordinator, Unique Mappers Network, who served as the Resource Person for the programme.

🔹 Training Highlights

Day 1 focused on core concepts and foundational skills, introducing participants to OpenStreetMap (OSM) as a global, open, community-driven geospatial platform and its relevance to local development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sessions covered OSM account creation, OSM Diary use, hands-on mapping with the iD Editor (roads, buildings, POIs), the Map My Village / Map My Community campaign, the HOT Tasking Manager, and best practices in data quality and validation.

Day 2 emphasized advanced and applied workflows, exposing participants to:

Downloading OSM data using Geofabrik and QuickOSM

Loading and managing OSM layers in QGIS

Map visualization and styling

Simple spatial analysis for SDG-focused mapping outputs, including health, education, water, and settlement infrastructure analysis

🎯 Key Outcomes

Participants from multiple African countries were introduced and integrated into their respective national OpenStreetMap local communities as new volunteer mappers (OSM newbies)

The training strengthened the AFRIGIST–Unique Mappers collaborative team actively engaged in humanitarian response mapping across Africa

Participants were issued take-home practical tasks as part of the certification process, requiring real-world application through OSM editing and QGIS mapping, OSM-based research briefs, or community Mapathon activities

🎓 Certification (Part 1)

Participants will receive a Certificate of Participation upon submission of ONE approved practical task, selected from:

OSM editing + OSM-based QGIS map output addressing a local SDG priority

OSM data–driven research or technical brief

Community Mapathon engagement under the Map My Village / Map My Community initiative

🚀 Next Training – Part 2

Part 2 of the training, planned for next year, will expand the programme to cover advanced tools including:

uMap (interactive web mapping)

Mapping with WhatsApp (community-based data reporting)

Mapillary (street-level imagery capture and validation) Details and schedule will be communicated in due course.

🙏 Acknowledgements

Special appreciation goes to the AFRIGIST Alumni International Network and AFRIGIST Management for providing the platform and opportunity to deliver this impactful programme. Profound thanks to Prof. Joseph Oloukoi, Director of Linkages, AFRIGIST, for his confidence, strategic support, and effective moderation.

Sincere appreciation is also extended to Favour Eze for participant mobilization and coordination, and to Kingsley Amankwe of the Unique Mappers Network for providing technical support and leading the Day-2 advanced OSM–QGIS practical sessions.

✅ Conclusion

The programme reaffirmed AFRIGIST’s commitment to alumni engagement, capacity building, and open geospatial technologies, while equipping participants with practical skills to support humanitarian action, evidence-based planning, and SDG implementation across Africa.
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