Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu has received two major awards at the 2026 Nigeria GovTech Public Service Awards. His administration was recognised for progress in digital land administration and geospatial innovation.

The awards were presented at the 4th Nigeria GovTech Conference held in Abuja. Governor Otu was represented by the Director-General of the Cross River State Geographic Information Agency, William Archibong Jr. The state secured the Most Improved State GIS/Digital Land Administration Agency award, while Archibong received the Distinguished GovTech Trailblazer’s Award.

The recognition reflects the state’s growing use of digital technology in land management, planning and decision-making. Under Otu’s leadership, the agency has expanded Geographic Information Systems beyond property records to support agriculture, environmental protection, disaster preparedness and social inclusion.

One key innovation is an agricultural commodity traceability system developed with the Ministry of Agriculture. It uses geospatial tools to track farm produce across the value chain, a step described as pioneering among state governments in Nigeria. The agency has also conducted surveys of persons with disabilities and set up early-warning systems for environmental risks.

Archibong credited the governor’s support for institutional reforms and investment in technology. He said the awards would encourage further efforts to make geospatial intelligence a core part of public service delivery and sustainable development in the state.