SOMETIMES, the most profound changes in governance happen not with bluster, but with quiet determination and visionary leadership.
In Gombe State, one such revolution is unfolding in the land administration sector, powered by the Gombe Geographic Information Systems (GOGIS). It is a reform so impactful that other states are now knocking on the doors of Gombe, seeking to learn and replicate.
Just recently, a high-powered delegation from Taraba State, commissioned by Governor Agbu Kefas, arrived in Gombe to understudy the operational efficiency, digital architecture, and institutional resilience that have made GOGIS the toast of land governance in Nigeria.
The delegation, led by the Executive Board Chairman of the Taraba Geographic Information Service (TAGIS), included the Director-General of TAGIS, the Taraba State Surveyor General, and other senior technocrats who came not with skepticism but with admiration, and rightly so.
Gombe State has become a reference point in Geographic Information System ( GIS) and Urban Information Systems (UIS) not by accident, but by the deliberate choices and political courage of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
The Governor’s land reform drive is not merely administrative; it is transformational. Under his leadership, GOGIS has evolved into a fully digitized, result-oriented institution that is helping to reposition land as a strategic asset for economic development.
What the Taraba team saw was more than technology; it was a culture of efficiency.
From the seamless workflows in GOGIS’s digital infrastructure to field visits to projects like the new Shongo Gardens Layout and the Shehu Abubakar District, the delegation witnessed firsthand how Gombe has merged vision with execution.
No wonder the team lead, Alhaji Sambo described Gombe as “a benchmark for digital land management in Nigeria.”
At the centre of this success is Dr. Kabiru Usman Hassan, a thoroughbred professional whose leadership of GOGIS has been as innovative as it is steady. His ability to simplify complex processes, enhance revenue generation, and provide secure land data speaks volumes of what can be achieved when institutions are driven by merit and vision.
The lesson here is straightforward but powerful: governance works when leaders lead with purpose. The Gombe strides in GIS/UIS are not the product of chance, they are the result of sustained political support, professional integrity, and the courage to confront entrenched inefficiencies.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya understood early on that land reform was essential to unlocking the state’s development potential, and he acted on that conviction with clarity and consistency.
It is worth recalling that the groundbreaking model of land administration in Gombe has not only drawn the attention of Taraba State. Over the past months, delegations from Zamfara, Kano, and other states have also visited to understudy the innovative strategies employed by GOGIS with a view to implementing similar reforms tailored to the peculiar needs of their respective states.
This growing interest from across the country underscores the fact that Gombe has become a national reference point for digital land governance. Through the bold leadership of Governor Inuwa Yahaya, GOGIS has evolved into more than just an agency; it is now a training ground for institutional excellence, attracting nationwide recognition for its efficiency, transparency, and transformative impact.
For Taraba and other states seeking to modernize their land systems, the Gombe example offers a roadmap, and also a challenge. Technology alone will not transform land administration; it takes will, strategy, and an unrelenting focus on public interest.
The Gombe DG GOGIS’s advice to the Taraba delegation; warning of bureaucratic bottlenecks and urging a zero-tolerance approach to corruption; was both timely and wise. Reform is not an event; it is a journey that demands resilience and a shared commitment to excellence.
In the end, the visit was more than a study tour. It was a moment of national significance, reminding us that within Nigeria lies the capacity to build institutions that work; that is if we dare to lead, as Gombe has done under the visionary leadership of Inuwa Yahaya.
- Misilli is DG Press, Government House, Gombe.
