The Highs, the Lows, and What’s Ahead in 2025
Geospatial in Africa: The Highs, the Lows, and What’s Ahead in 2025 AfriGIS (Pretoria, South Africa – 06 October 2025) 2025 has been a year of both promise and challenge for Africa’s geospatial industry. Across the continent, location intelligence is helping cities grow smarter, businesses operate more efficiently, and communities access essential services. Yet while progress has been significant, the journey has not been without obstacles. Celebrating Milestones According to the 2025 United Nations Globa Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) Africa report, African countries have made strides in embedding geospatial data into decision-making. Key achievements include: National Progress: Cameroon, Mali, Mozambique, and Rwanda have advanced action plans under the Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (IGIF), strengthening data infrastructures and aligning spatial data with sustainable development goals. Skills Development: Workshops and expert consultations are enhancing geospatial management skills, particularly for census work and development tracking. Technological Adoption: AI and digital twin technologies are beginning to reshape urban planning, enabling cities to anticipate challenges before they arise. Industry Growth: The Africa Geospatial Expo 2025 projected sector growth to US\$100 billion by 2030, highlighting its strategic importance across industries including healthcare, logistics, and finance. Challenges Along the Way Despite these milestones, the industry faces persistent challenges that slow momentum. These include: Skills Gaps: While GIS is included in university curricula, many business schools lack updated training on applying geospatial data for strategic decision-making. Limited Adoption: Many businesses remain unaware of the potential of geospatial tools, resulting in underutilisation across sectors. Data and Governance Issues: Outdated spatial data and fragmented policy frameworks continue to hinder the effective deployment of solutions. To address these challenges, stakeholders are leveraging public-private partnerships (PPPs), capacity-building initiatives, and policy reforms. AfriGIS has contributed by improving data quality and accessibility, promoting digital twin technology, and helping clients integrate geospatial intelligence into planning, compliance, and risk management. The Rise of Transformative Technologies Geospatial Technology One of the most exciting areas of growth is Geospatial technology. Driven by widespread smartphone penetration, improved connectivity, and regulatory requirements, Geospatial technology is reshaping industries across Africa. Specifically, it's being used in: Healthcare: to optimise access to clinics and improve outbreak response. Logistics: to enhance fleet management and delivery accuracy. Retail: retailers use it to target customers more effectively and to expand reach. Governments: apply it to map underserved areas and improve service delivery. AfriGIS APIs now support over 50 million searchable address combinations, enabling hyper-local insights that are transforming decision-making across sectors. Digital Twins: Planning Cities Before they are Built Digital twins (virtual replicas of cities and infrastructure) allow planners to simulate scenarios technology such as traffic flows, energy demand, and population growth. This capability makes infrastructure planning more resilient and efficient. Projects like the University of Pretoria’s Hatfield Digital Twin City demonstrate how technology can enhance urban management, citizen engagement, and service delivery. Contextual Insights for Sustainability Contextual insights integrate geospatial intelligence with real-world (environmental, demographic, and infrastructure) data to drive sustainable decision-making. Platforms like Resolve Water help businesses and municipalities manage water scarcity and risk, while supporting ESG compliance and equitable resource allocation. By turning raw data into actionable intelligence, contextual insights are advancing ESG goals, smart city development, and resilient infrastructure. Better Data, Better Decisions 2025 has also seen significant improvements in geospatial data quality and accessibility. AfriGIS has committed to: Quarterly Data Releases: ensuring datasets are up-to-date and validated. New Tools: APIs such as the Flood Hazard Index and platforms like Iris provide interactive, real-time access. Measurable Impact: Outcomes across sectors include reduced banking risk (40%), fewer fraudulent insurance claims (25%), increased retailer foot traffic (15%), and improved agricultural yields (18%). Looking Ahead: The Road for 2025 and Beyond Emerging technologies will continue to shape Africa’s geospatial landscape: AI-Driven Geospatial Intelligence: enabling predictive analytics and dynamic decision-making. High-Precision Mapping and LiDAR: Supporting urban planning and infrastructure audits. Spatial Computing and Digital Twins: Modelling cities and optimising resource allocation. ESG-Focused Platforms: Tools like Resolve Water helping businesses address climate and water risks. Collaboration as the Cornerstone Ultimately, the geospatial industry in Africa cannot reach its potential in isolation. Governments provide regulatory authority and reach, while private companies contribute agility, innovation, and investment. Public-private partnerships are essential for scaling solutions such as smart cities, climate adaptation, disaster response, and resilient infrastructure. The Path Forward Africa’s geospatial industry demonstrates that technology alone is not enough. Its true power lies in application; integrating data with context, building skills, fostering partnerships, and creating solutions that benefit communities. The highs of 2025 show what is possible when innovation meets purpose. The lows remind us there is more work to be done. With continued collaboration, investment, and innovation, Africa is poised to harness geospatial intelligence for smarter decisions, resilient communities, and a sustainable future.
Read MoreSix Ways to Maximise Your Retail Store’s Success with Trade Area Analysis
Six Ways to Maximise Your Retail Store’s Success with Trade Area Analysis AfriGIS (Pretoria, South Africa – 16 July 2025) Why Location Strategy Is Critical in Retail In the fast-paced retail industry, the key to growth lies in choosing the right locations. Retailers must not only consider foot traffic but also the purchasing power of the surrounding population, consumer characteristics, and ever-changing market dynamics. A poor location decision can lead to missed opportunities and underperforming stores. Cost of shop fitting and wasted costs associated with signing long term lease agreements make this even more crucial. This is where Trade Area Analysis comes into play. For any retail business looking to roll out their first (or fifty-first store), Trade Area Analysis empowers them to make smarter, data-driven decisions. By leveraging this process, retailers can strategically position their stores in locations where the surrounding population has strong purchasing power, competitor locations are known, which significantly increasing the likelihood of high sales performance. The question then isn’t whether Trade Area Analysis is worth the expense, but whether your business can afford not to invest in it Here are six reasons why: 1. Optimising Store Placement Trade Area Analysis uses demographic and geographic data to identify locations with high potential for success, based on factors like population density, income, accessibility, target demographic, competitor locations, and other factors, reducing the risk of opening in underperforming areas. 2. Understanding Customer Demographics Every market is different, and consumer preferences vary by location. Trade Area Analysis helps businesses understand the makeup of their customer base, including age, income, lifestyle, and buying habits. By understanding these factors, retailers can tailor their offerings to meet the needs of local customers, ensuring higher engagement and stronger sales. 3. Improving Marketing Strategies With Trade Area Analysis, retailers can define their target audience based on location-specific data. By understanding the customer demographics within their trade area, businesses can create more targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with local consumers, increasing conversion rates and customer loyalty. 4. Forecasting Demand Predict customer demand by analysing movement patterns, seasonal trends, weather information and demographic shifts. This predictive insight allows businesses to optimise their inventory management, ensuring they’re always stocked with what their customers want, when they want it. 5. Enhancing Operational Efficiency By understanding where customers are located and how they behave, retailers can optimise their supply chain, staffing, and operational resources to ensure they meet demand without overextending their resources. Products can therefore be aligned with target demographics. This leads to cost savings and more efficient day-to-day operations. 6. Mitigating Risks Identify potential risks before they become problems. Whether it's recognising an emerging competitor in a particular area or understanding the impact of infrastructural changes like new public transport routes, businesses can take proactive measures to minimise risk and protect their investment. In today’s competitive retail environment, relying on gut feel or outdated sales data is no longer enough. AfriGIS Trade Area Analysis offers a smarter, more effective way to plan and execute retail rollouts, making it a critical tool for businesses aiming to thrive. The opportunity cost of not investing in Trade Area Analysis: For retailers, choosing the right location isn’t just about visibility—it’s about strategically placing stores in areas where the right customers, with the right purchasing power, are. Trade Area Analysis offers a data-driven approach to ensure that businesses make informed decisions, increase sales performance, and optimise their operations for sustainable growth. WHERE are my customers at the moment? WHERE are my competitors? WHERE should I place new outlets? Learn more about our Trade Area Analysis Location Strategy Solution and schedule a free consultation Speak to an expert
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“We believe water security is set to become a new competitive edge. Supply chains will be judged not just on emissions but on water resilience. Banks will need to understand water adjusted credit risk, insurers will need to underwrite climate sensitive portfolios with location specific water intelligence, and investors will look for real impact and resilience,” says Helen Hulett, Chief Sustainability Officer at AfriGIS. Resolve Water is the platform that enables all of this by design. It brings transparency and actionable insights to businesses, helping them mitigate risk and invest in sustainable water solutions that have long term, measurable impacts on their bottom line. With more than two decades of experience powering location based solutions across the continent, AfriGIS brings the deep technical and contextual expertise needed to launch a solution of this scale and ambition. “This solution builds on the AfriGIS legacy of scaling solutions with trusted insights,” says Rochelle Mountany, Chief Executive Officer at AfriGIS. “With Resolve Water, we’re providing a platform that will not only help businesses understand their water exposure but also allow them to take action that drives resilience, compliance, and long term sustainability.”
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“We believe water security is set to become a new competitive edge. Supply chains will be judged not just on emissions but on water resilience. Banks will need to understand water adjusted credit risk, insurers will need to underwrite climate sensitive portfolios with location specific water intelligence, and investors will look for real impact and resilience,” says Helen Hulett, Chief Sustainability Officer at AfriGIS. Resolve Water is the platform that enables all of this by design. It brings transparency and actionable insights to businesses, helping them mitigate risk and invest in sustainable water solutions that have long term, measurable impacts on their bottom line. With more than two decades of experience powering location based solutions across the continent, AfriGIS brings the deep technical and contextual expertise needed to launch a solution of this scale and ambition. “This solution builds on the AfriGIS legacy of scaling solutions with trusted insights,” says Rochelle Mountany, Chief Executive Officer at AfriGIS. “With Resolve Water, we’re providing a platform that will not only help businesses understand their water exposure but also allow them to take action that drives resilience, compliance, and long term sustainability.”
Read MoreUnlocking Business Potential with AfriGIS data-driven Insights
“We believe water security is set to become a new competitive edge. Supply chains will be judged not just on emissions but on water resilience. Banks will need to understand water adjusted credit risk, insurers will need to underwrite climate sensitive portfolios with location specific water intelligence, and investors will look for real impact and resilience,” says Helen Hulett, Chief Sustainability Officer at AfriGIS. Resolve Water is the platform that enables all of this by design. It brings transparency and actionable insights to businesses, helping them mitigate risk and invest in sustainable water solutions that have long term, measurable impacts on their bottom line. With more than two decades of experience powering location based solutions across the continent, AfriGIS brings the deep technical and contextual expertise needed to launch a solution of this scale and ambition. “This solution builds on the AfriGIS legacy of scaling solutions with trusted insights,” says Rochelle Mountany, Chief Executive Officer at AfriGIS. “With Resolve Water, we’re providing a platform that will not only help businesses understand their water exposure but also allow them to take action that drives resilience, compliance, and long term sustainability.”
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