Global Navigation Satellite Systems: Impacts, Prospects and Challenges in Africa

A.B. Rabiu

Abstract:	This paper attempt to discuss the present state of application of GNSS in African states and the numerous benefits being accrued from its usage. The present day application of GNSS in Nigeria and most African countries include: positioning services, surveying and mapping, disaster management, air, land and sea navigation, and emergency response. GNSS is presently being applied in worldwide MAGDAS, AWESOME and other instrument arrays, which are installed in Africa as part of IHY activity. SCINDA project is another worldwide project that has permitted the monitoring of GNSS signals for better performance from Africa soil courtesy of IHY program. IHY is posed to increase the number of usable continuous operating reference stations CORS of GNSS network in Africa. The developed nations of the world had put GNSS into greater applications, which can be transferred to developing Africa. Society surveillance for public safety and some other technologically advanced but feasible applications are discussed. Challenges facing utilization of GNSS for sustainable and economic development of African region are highlighted. GNSS is indeed capable of solving some of the major problems presently facing the development of African region. Policy makers at various level of government need to be enlighten about the gains of GNSS yet to be explored in Africa.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 21st International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2008) September 16 - 19, 2008 Savannah International Convention Center Savannah, GA
Pages:	2046 - 2076
Cite this article:	Rabiu, A.B., "Global Navigation Satellite Systems: Impacts, Prospects and Challenges in Africa," Proceedings of the 21st International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2008), Savannah, GA, September 2008, pp. 2046-2076.
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