Prof. Jide Kufoniyi is a Professor of Geoinformatics and the Pioneer & immediate past Head of Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He is the Immediate Past President (1st November 2010 to 29th October 2018) of the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE), He has PhD in Geoinformatics (1995) from Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands (in affiliation with the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC), now Faculty of Geo-information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente), Enschede, The Netherlands); MSc with distinction in Photogrammetry (1989) from ITC; PGD with distinction in Photogrammetry (1987) from ITC; PGD in Surveying (1982) from University of Lagos, Nigeria; and B.Sc. (Hons) in Geography from University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He was Rector of the Federal School of Surveying, Oyo, Nigeria from February 1998 to August 2000 and Executive Director of the Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS), now called African Regional Institute for Geospatial Information Science and Technology (AFRIGIST), Obafemi Awolowo University Campus, Ile-Ife, Nigeria from September 2000 to August 2008.

Prof Kufoniyi is an Advisory Board member of the UN-GGIM Academic Network and member of the International Policy Advisory Committee (IPAC) of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS). He is a member of the IEEE Geosciences and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS), a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Fellow, Geoinformation Society of Nigeria (GEOSON), Fellow, Nigerian Cartographic Association (NCA) and a registered Surveyor.

He served as a member of the Cadastral sub-committee, Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reform, Federal Government of Nigeria (May 2009 to December 2015); Member of the implementation team of Phase 1 National Geospatial Data Infrastructure (NGDI) Pilot Project (August to December 2009); Member, National Geospatial Data Infrastructure (NGDI) Committee (9th September 2004 to 2011); and Member, Expert Working Group on ECOWAS Geospatial Data Infrastructure Policy development and implementation (2014 to 2020).

He also served as the Regional Representative for Africa on the ISPRS Council from July 2008 to 2010; Vice-President, ISPRS Technical Commission VI on Education and Awareness (2008 – 2012); Chairman, ISPRS Technical Commission VII Working Group 7 (Innovative problem solving methodologies for Less Developed Countries), July 2004 to 2008; Member, ICA/ECA Working Group on Mapping Africa for Africa, August 2003 to 2008; Board Member, Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI) Association, 2004 to 2009; Member Steering Committee on African (Geodetic) Reference Frame (AFREF), UN Economic Commission for Africa, October 2004 to 2008; African Board member, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on the Application of GIS in Agricultural Production in sub-Sahara Africa (August 2008 – March 2009); and Member, Committee on National Geoinformation Policy for Nigeria, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Abuja, Nigeria November 2002 – March 2003.

In recognition of his professional contributions, Prof Kufoniyi received the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) Samuel Gamble Award for “Significant contribution to professional development of photogrammetry, remote sensing and spatial information sciences at national and international levels” in 2008 and the “Special recognition of positive contributions to geoinformation activities in Africa” by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN-ECA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in May 2009. He also received many awards at the national level, including: Presidential Award of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) in 2009; Merit Award, Baptist Boys’ High School, Abeokuta Old Boys’ Association in 2012; and Honorary Fellowship Award, Federal School of Surveying, Oyo in December 2019.