Spatial information is increasingly acknowledged as a national resource essential for sustainable development. Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) is part of the basic infrastructure that needs to be efficiently coordinated and managed in the interests of the nation. However, there is no framework or adequate knowledge available for users, providers and administrators of SDI to collaborate effectively to build National SDI. In countries that are a federation of states, administration is dispersed across multiple tiers of government. The system of governance and constitution in a federated country makes the coordination of spatial activities in the national interest complex. (For complete abstract open document)