Risk Reduction and Emergency Response: The geospatial Assessment of Disaster Management in Nigeria

Given the rising frequency and intensity of both natural and man-made disasters, disaster risk reduction and emergency response have emerged as crucial issues in Nigeria. Focusing on the application of geospatial technologies, including remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and GeoAI, to catastrophe risk reduction across Nigeria, this study offers a systematic analysis of 25 academic publications published between 2010 and 2025. The review identifies significant research gaps in methodology, spatial data usage, and regional study coverage, highlighting a limited application of advanced geospatial tools and underrepresentation of certain geopolitical zones. Although many studies demonstrate the potential of geospatial techniques in hazard mapping, risk assessment, and early warning systems, there remains a lack of unified geospatial databases and uneven technical capacity among practitioners. The findings underscore the growing reliance on passive remote sensing data, with limited use of active sensors like SAR. This gap may be attributed to high data processing demands and limited access to advanced tools. The review concludes that while geospatial technologies offer transformative solutions for disaster preparedness and mitigation, greater investment is needed in spatial data infrastructure, capacity building, and nationwide integration to enhance resilience and emergency response. This work highlights the critical need for inclusive, data-driven strategies in disaster risk reduction, aligned with global frameworks such as the SDGs.