Map Africa project to deliver continentwide geospatial data for 54 nations
by Clarence Oxford
San Diego CA (SPX) Jul 30, 2025

Esri has partnered with Microsoft and Space42 to launch the Map Africa Initiative, a five-year project aimed at building the most detailed and scalable geospatial basemap of Africa to date. The effort, formalized at the 2025 Esri User Conference, will span all 54 African nations and provide high-resolution mapping data intended to support over 1.4 billion people.

Many African nations lack modern, accessible maps, which hampers infrastructure planning and economic development. The Map Africa Initiative seeks to overcome these challenges by providing governments, businesses, and communities with locally maintained geospatial resources that support informed decision-making.

Jack Dangermond, Esri president, said, "We are proud to support the Map Africa Initiative in partnership with Space42... Transforming satellite imagery into detailed, accurate base maps 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 firm specializing in AI and space technologies, will manage the project and lead fundraising while contributing satellite data. Esri will oversee basemap production using GeoAI and remote sensing, and support training hubs to build regional capacity. Microsoft's Azure platform will power the AI and cloud infrastructure for large-scale data processing and integration.

Hasan Al Hosani, CEO of Smart Solutions at Space42, emphasized the strategic value of the initiative: "This collaboration with Microsoft and Esri is more than technical; it's strategic... With reliable data, communities and economies prosper."

The initiative is set to transform sectors including transportation, renewable energy, national security, disaster response, and smart city development. National governments will hold licenses to the data and manage its long-term use via their National Mapping Agencies. The project is also expected to stimulate Africa's tech sector by supporting local startups and hosting data within Microsoft and G42 data centers across the continent.

To learn more about Esri's role in the Map Africa Initiative, visit here.

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