Press Release
- Linking evaluated questionnaires with geo coordinates
-
Geoportal to help political and business leaders make well-informed decisions
Berlin, 5 June 2008 – Beta Systems Software AG and Intergraph (Germany) GmbH were
commissioned with processing and structuring the data gathered at Nigeria’s last census. The
evaluation phase is all but completed, and at present the census data are being transferred into a
central database. The final figures of the Nigerian census are to be published shortly. The
European Union is funding this project – the largest individual EU project in Africa – through the
EuropeAid development aid program. Beta Systems used its FrontCollect document management
solution to process more than 50 million two-sided DIN A4 census sheets under highly challenging
social, structural and geographic conditions. The captured census data are currently being
transferred into a central database, linked to geo coordinates and imported into a comprehensive
geographic information systems (GIS) IT environment.
After having all but completed the census data evaluation phase, the present task at hand is
to transfer the information into a central database as part of the “DBMS/Geoportal for Census
Nigeria” project. Processing vast volumes of data is highly challenging, especially during this
assignment, which involves importing every single data set from the census into the system. This
information is enriched with extensive geo data, including the spatial allocation of all
information – a process referred to as geo referencing – as well as the integration into a
nationwide geo infrastructure environment for internal and external use. The raster images stored
at different resolutions make up the bulk of the data; totaling 120 terabytes, they represent one
of Africa’s largest data repositories. Once the project is completed, decision-makers will be able
to draw on highly useful planning tools that take into account demographic and economic factors.
The central interface for research, visualization and analysis is a geoportal that makes the
geo-referenced census data available in an intuitive manner according to the user’s access
privileges. “The open interfaces also allow the census data to be analyzed in a global context,
making them highly applicable for activities carried out by the United Nations,” explains Dr. Horst
Harbauer, Managing Director of Intergraph (Germany) GmbH.
The EU has a permanent representation in Abuja, Nigerias capital. Beta Systems is considered
an expert on the West African country and has been active there - especially in the banking
sector - for many years now, providing various solutions, such as scanning and automated check
clearing systems. Intergraph (Deutschland) GmbH is a highly trusted geo data infrastructure (GDI)
and geo web application specialist, as is attested to by numerous national and international
references. This background convinced the client, who commissioned the two German companies with
implementing the census database and geoportal solution in Nigeria as a consortium.
Africas most populated country relies on the census data as a trusted basis for creating
national development plans. Aside from traditional items such as age, nationality and occupation,
the census also included questions such as level of education, child mortality, housing situation
and hygienic standard.
Nigeria is the most powerful country in West Africa. The presidential democracy, organized as
a federal republic, is the sixth largest crude oil producer worldwide. The complex mix of
ethnicities, languages and religions resulting from the roughly 400 ethnic groups present in the
country is considered one of its major strengths but at the same time represents a big domestic
challenge. According to the 2006 census, Nigeria has a population of 140 million people.
“The task of evaluating the questionnaires of the Nigerian census was awarded to Beta
Systems owing to our comprehensive process and application know-how in the area of digitizing and
analyzing bulk data,” explains Richard J. Lang, Director Consulting International at Beta Systems.
End of press release
About Intergraph® Security, Government & Infrastructure (SG&I)
Intergraph Corp. is the leading global provider of spatial information management (SIM)
software. Security organizations, businesses and governments in more than 60 countries rely on the
company's spatial technology and services to make better and faster operational decisions.
Intergraph's customers organize vast amounts of complex data into understandable visual
representations, creating intelligent maps, managing assets, building and operating better plants
and ships and protecting critical infrastructure and millions of people around the world. For more
information, visit
www.intergraph.com.
Beta Systems Software AG – Agility Integrated
Beta Systems Software AG (Prime Standard: BSS, ISIN DE0005224406) develops high-profile
software products and solutions for the secure and efficient processing of large data volumes. The
core businesses of Beta Systems are document processing and IT user management data processing in
data centers and compliance solutions. In addition, the Beta 4Agility suite offers large companies
new integration products to enhance their agility in IT and business processes. These products
simplify the automation of data and document processing and raise the security level and
performance of IT.
Beta Systems was founded in 1983, has been a listed company since 1997, and has a workforce of more than 600 employees. The company’s principal place of business is Berlin. Beta Systems has Centers of Competence in Augsburg, Cologne and Calgary, as well as 18 subsidiaries worldwide and cooperations and numerous partner companies. With more than 3,000 running installations, it has a customer base of more than 1,300 major companies from the sectors of financial services and IT service providers and industry at large in Germany, Europe and the USA.
More information on the company and its products can be found under
www.betasystems.com.
Press contact
Company contact:
Beta Systems Software AG
Thomas große Osterhues Senior Manager Marketing Communications
Tel.: +49 (0)30 726 118-570
Fax: +49 (0)30 726 118-881
E-Mail:
thomas.osterhues@betasystems.com
Agency contact:
HBI PR&MarCom GmbH
Alexandra Osmani, Alexandra Janetzko
Tel.: +49 (0)89 99 38 87-37/-32
Fax: +49 (0)89 930 24 45
E-Mail:
alexandra_osmani@hbi.de
E-Mail:
alexandra_janetzko@hbi.de
back
