Despite low government investment and a lack of legal framework to guide their use, geospatial technologies are being applied in a wide range of fields across Africa, and are proving to be indispensable tools in the socio-economic development of the continent, according to a recent conference on the topic. The fifth edition of the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) International Conference was held online and in-person in Nairobi, Kenya between 6-8 September 2022 and explored the theme of ‘Earth observation services for resilient social systems’.