Surveying and Geoinformatics is a discipline that deals with the acquisition, analysis, storage, distribution, management and application of spatially-referenced data. Surveying and Geoinformatics expertise and services are in high demand in Nigerian for spatially enabled national planning and economic development.

In furtherance of the University of Ilorin mission to provide world class environment for learning, research and community service, the Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics along with four other allied disciplines (Architecture, Estate Management, Quantity Surveying and Urban & Regional Planning) was conceived during 2012/2013 academic year by the former Vice Chancellor   of the university, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali (OON), to constitute the new Faculty of Environmental Sciences. Consequent upon this, the Department of Surveying & Geoinformatics went through National Universities Commission (NUC) Resource Visitation Exercise and was certified to start as a full-fledged academic Department during the 2013/2014 session.

The Department which took off with Dr. Ayo Babalola appointed by the Vice Chancellor as the pioneer Head of Department had with him other three academic staff and a technologist, namely, Dr. Nihinlola Olayinka (Senior Lecturer Adjunct), Dr. Odedare, Kayode Oyeniyi (Senior Lecturer Adjunct), Mr. Abdulyekeen, Abdulazeez Ola (Lecturer II) and Miss Gbemisola Olatunde (Technologist II). These persons constituted a formidable team of pioneering staff who worked assiduously to lay the solid foundation for the Department in the 2014 academic year.

Since her inception, the Department has continued to grow in terms of staff strength with academically/professionally qualified staff, modern surveying and mapping equipment and conducive learning and research environment. As a mark of professional and academic quality assurance and quality control, the Department of Surveying and Geoinfiormatics secured full professional accreditation with Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON) in 2017 as well as academic accreditation with Nigerian Universities Commission in 2020. The department has produced two sets of students with four graduating with First Class honour.

Philosophy of the Department

The guiding principle of the Department is to serve as breeding ground for professionals through specialized training and research that will equip the students with the knowledge with which to render spatial services, planning of engineering works, and exploration of natural resources. The Surveyor trained in the Department is educated to interact and collaborate with allied professionals in the wide spectrum of the built industry through multidisciplinary knowledge and skill acquisition.

Objectives

The programme aims at exposing students to modern trends and development in Surveying and Geoinformatics, as well as equipping them with the basic theoretical and practical skills that can adequately cater for the needs of the society in the area of Surveying and Geoinformatics. The specific objectives are to train the students to acquire:

1. Basic theoretical and practical skills required to provide spatial and other environmental information necessary for designing and planning of engineering works as well as in the location and exploration of natural resources.

2. Strong theoretical and analytical skills required for formulation of policies and plans in land information management systems.

3. Specialized training to launch into specialized fields such as Land Surveying (Cadastral, Engineering and Special Surveys), Geodesy, Hydrography, Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Cartography and Geographic Information Systems.

4. Sufficient general knowledge to enable them interacts effectively with other professionals in the built industry in particular and the society in general.