Free Resources
GIS Dataset Directory
A curated list of free, trusted spatial datasets for Nigeria, Africa, and globally. Each entry includes a description, formats available, licence type, and a direct link to download.
Administrative Boundaries
GADM — Global Admin Areas
GlobalNational, state/province, and LGA boundaries for every country. Available in SHP, GeoJSON, KML, and R/GPKG formats.
Visit & Download →Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX)
Africa / GlobalCountry shapefiles, population data, health facility locations, and humanitarian datasets. Excellent Nigeria coverage.
Visit & Download →DIVA-GIS Country Data
GlobalAdministrative boundaries, roads, elevation, and land cover for individual countries. Simple direct download.
Visit & Download →Elevation & Terrain
NASA SRTM (30m DEM)
GlobalShuttle Radar Topography Mission digital elevation model. 30m resolution globally. Best free DEM for most GIS projects.
Visit & Download →ASTER Global DEM
Global15m resolution DEM from NASA/Japan collaboration. Better vertical accuracy than SRTM in some regions.
Visit & Download →Copernicus DEM (GLO-30)
Global30m Copernicus Global Digital Elevation Model. High accuracy, ideal for hydrological and terrain analysis.
Visit & Download →Population & Demographics
WorldPop — Population Grids
Africa / GlobalHigh-resolution (100m) gridded population estimates for all African countries, disaggregated by age and sex.
Visit & Download →GPW — Gridded Population of the World
GlobalUN-based gridded population data from Columbia University SEDAC. Multiple resolutions available.
Visit & Download →Roads, Buildings & Infrastructure
Geofabrik OSM Extracts
Africa / GlobalCountry-level OpenStreetMap data exports updated daily. Includes roads, buildings, waterways, and land use.
Visit & Download →GRIP Global Roads Database
GlobalGlobal roads dataset from Wageningen University. 5 road types, global coverage, optimised for GIS analysis.
Visit & Download →Land Use & Land Cover
Copernicus Global Land Cover (CGLS-LC100)
GlobalAnnual 100m land cover maps for Africa (2015–present). Categories include cropland, forest, urban, and water.
Visit & Download →ESA WorldCover (10m)
GlobalESA's 10m global land cover map from Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-1. Most detailed free land cover dataset available.
Visit & Download →GlobCover
GlobalGlobal land cover at 300m from ESA. Good for historical land use comparisons (2005–2009 period).
Visit & Download →Climate & Environment
WorldClim — Climate Rasters
GlobalHistorical climate data (1970–2000) and future projections. Temperature, precipitation, and bioclimatic variables at 1km resolution.
Visit & Download →Global Forest Watch
GlobalAnnual tree cover loss and gain data from Hansen/UMD. Essential for deforestation monitoring and forestry projects.
Visit & Download →CHIRPS Rainfall Data
Africa / GlobalClimate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Stations. Daily/monthly rainfall data from 1981 to present at 5km resolution. Ideal for Nigeria.
Visit & Download →