The Surveyor General of the Federation (SGOF), Surv. Abuduganiyu Adebomehin, has passionately advocated for the upgrade of the 106-year-old Federal School of Surveying, Oyo (FSS) to a full-fledged Federal University of Geomatics.
He made the case during a Senate General Public and Stakeholders hearing on the proposed bill to create the university, held at the National Assembly, Abuja.
“I am here today to equally support our Senators to move that the oldest Federal Institution in the land of Nigeria be converted to a university,” Adebomehin said.
A statement from his office emphasized that FSS is a cradle of surveying in Nigeria and one of the few institutions offering Hydrography. “If you look at the crops of surveyors we have in Nigeria year to year, I want to say about 70% of us passed through that school,” he added. “It is not a good thing when we talk about technological advancement and still leave the school behind.”
He called on the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and Tetfund to support the transformation, saying it would allow the institution to offer advanced programs currently pursued abroad.
Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, voiced his support for the initiative, stressing the importance of inclusive educational opportunities for all Nigerians. “Education is not a privilege but a right,” he stated. “My participation is constitutionally imperative to ensure our policies speak to society and shape a refined and ambitious future.”
The sponsor of the bill, Senator Yunus Abiodun Akintunde, who chairs the Senate Committee on South West Development, explained that Geomatics covers critical aspects such as the collection, analysis, and management of geographic data.
“Technological advancement has revolutionized sectors like infrastructure, environment, security, and healthcare,” Akintunde noted. “With skills in Geomatics, Nigeria can align with global standards in cloud computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), GEO AI, and machine learning.”
He also highlighted that FSS has the human resources and infrastructure to adapt seamlessly into a university system.
Backing the call, His Royal Majesty, Alaafin of Oyo I, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, represented at the hearing, stated: “When other institutions were being upgraded, the School of Surveying was left out. So it is timely now to see that this school be upgraded to a University of Geomatics.”
He emphasized the school’s strong foundation, autonomous departments, and existing diploma and postgraduate programs. “Surveying is cardinal to land, and land is fundamental to development,” he concluded.
The proposal was part of six bills under review by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and Tetfund, including the Federal University of Health Sciences, Funtua; Federal University of Education (Special Oyo); Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies, Yaba; Federal University of Technology, Omoku; and Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi.