Why your GIS skills are more relevant than ever

The global GIS market is predicted to grow by over 13% through 2025 and beyond, reflecting the evolution of spatial intelligence into a foundational layer of modern operational and strategic decision-making. This is the moment for GIS leaders, developers, analysts and educators to step forward, according to Wanjohi Kibui of LiGIS Consulting in Kenya. “GIS is no longer just a tool, it’s a language – and those who speak it are increasingly shaping policy, guiding investment and solving complex societal challenges,” he writes in this column.

Several years ago, while consulting for a government-led land management initiative, I found myself sitting with the project manager reviewing what appeared to be accurate land allocation maps. Everything looked fine on paper. The parcel boundaries were intact, the coordinates checked out and the documentation was seemingly flawless. But when we took those same maps to the field, the picture was entirely different. Informal settlements had crept in, roads had been rerouted and riparian zones were now home to newly constructed buildings.

After internal inquiry, we had only one way to prove this. The turning point came when we overlaid the spatial data with recent high-resolution satellite imagery (acquired). The discrepancies leapt off the screen. What we had assumed to be accurate maps were, in fact, outdated snapshots of a reality that had already moved on. That moment underscored something that all GIS professionals understand deeply: the map is only as good as the context behind it. In other words, it became clear that spatial data without context isn’t just incomplete – it’s risky.

GIS is no longer just a tool, it’s a language

Geographic information systems (GIS) have historically been seen as technical support, a nice-to-have capability to complement the ‘real’ business of decision-making. But that perception is now outdated. Today, GIS has evolved from a support function into a strategic enabler. From climate modeling and natural disaster response to urban planning and smart agriculture, spatial intelligence is at the heart of real-world decisions.

With a projected CAGR of over 13% through 2025 and beyond, the global GIS market is not just expanding; it’s evolving into a foundational layer of modern decision-making. This growth reflects a deeper trend: spatial intelligence is becoming central to the daily operations of organizations across nearly every sector. GIS is no longer just a tool, it’s a language – and those who speak it are increasingly shaping policy, guiding investment and solving complex societal challenges.

Consider Zambia’s National Malaria Elimination Centre (NMEC), which leveraged GIS technology to enhance its indoor residual spraying (IRS) campaigns. By integrating high-resolution population data, settlement extents and health facility locations, the NMEC created detailed microplanning maps. These maps enabled precise targeting of malaria interventions, optimizing resource allocation and improving campaign efficiency. In 2020, 112 out of Zambia’s 116 districts utilized these GIS-informed maps during microplanning sessions, significantly enhancing the effectiveness of malaria control efforts. In Zambia’s case, GIS was not a side feature. It was the central nervous system of smart, responsive and data-driven action.

The world is drowning in data, but not in insight

One of the most misunderstood aspects of the data revolution is that location remains the most underutilized variable in data analytics. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), the world generated more data in the last few years than in all previous history combined. What does that mean? What comprises this data? What’s the current use of this data?

Everyone, from private companies and NGOs to government agencies, is collecting data. But without spatial context, that data is often disconnected, incomplete or misleading. That’s where GIS professionals come in. Our skills are the missing link between abstract data and tangible insight. We don’t just analyse where things are. We uncover why they matter there, and what their patterns reveal across time and space.

Your GIS skills are unlocking insights that no spreadsheet or dashboard alone could ever offer, whether you are mapping malaria outreach in rural counties in Kenya, monitoring forest cover changes in protected ecosystems such as the Amazon, modelling public transit bottlenecks in New York, or building smart agriculture tools that respond to microclimates. As the old adage goes, “GIS is limited to the thinking of the user”. Depending on who is interpreting them, the same satellite imagery, datasets and tools can lead to radically different insights.

Leadership: the GIS professional’s new mandate

The intersection of GIS with artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and big data is not a distant future, it’s our present. Algorithms are being trained to detect land use changes from satellite imagery. Spatial data is powering real-time logistics for ride-sharing and delivery services. Digital twins of cities are being created using 3D GIS models to simulate everything from traffic flow to energy use. In this new reality, GIS professionals can no longer afford to be silent operators in the back room. Our insights are strategic. Our tools shape the systems others depend on. Too often, GIS professionals downplay their value in strategy discussions. If you’ve ever hesitated to speak up in a high-level meeting because you assumed it was a ‘management thing’, now is the time to rethink that stance.

Because here’s the truth: there is no digital transformation without geospatial intelligence. If you’re building systems, developing applications or interpreting spatial models, your role sits at the intersection of data and decision. It’s no longer enough to build the maps, we must also control the narrative. Yet, with great opportunity comes great responsibility. We can’t afford to be passive participants in this data revolution. Whether it’s refining your technical skills or gaining strategic awareness, there are valuable learning resources available. The tools are powerful, but it’s the spatial mindset that unlocks value. Your creativity, critical thinking and willingness to ask the right questions are what make GIS transformative.

Why this is our moment

Every era has its defining technology. For ours, it’s spatial. Our cities are getting smarter. Our environment is more fragile. Our economies are increasingly digital. And yet, all of this still depends on where things happen. For instance, climate change mitigation needs land cover data and predictive modelling. Food security requires precision agriculture driven by spatial analytics. And infrastructure development depends on site suitability analysis and network optimization. As GIS professionals, we are not just keeping up. We are leading from the front. The world is asking bigger, more urgent questions. We have the tools and the language to answer them.

A call to GIS leaders

If you’re a GIS leader, developer, analyst or educator, this is your moment to step forward, such as by:

• Starting that internal conversation about integrating GIS into business intelligence
• Training younger professionals not just to use GIS software, but to think spatially
• Collaborating across departments; whether in health, environment, logistics or governance
• Pushing for open data policies and investing in data quality not just quantity.

The map is no longer a side note. It’s the stage where decisions are made. And those who can read, build and interpret that map? They hold the keys to the future. Let’s stop thinking of GIS as a background utility. Let’s start seeing it and presenting it as a strategic force. Because while the rest of the world is drowning in disconnected data, you already know where to find the truth.

Further reading

https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/geographic-information-system-market

Learning resources: https://www.udemy.com/course/introduction-to-gis-with-qgis-comprehensive/?referralCode=835DCAE8009F2DFFA78C

Power GIS Programme guide: https://wanjohikibui.com/power-gis-program/

Blog: https://www.lifeingis.com/