Vice President Kashim Shettima has commended the donation of specialised communication equipment to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) by renowned satellite internet service provider, Starlink.
VP Shettima gave the commendation on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving a delegation comprising NEMA’s technical team and representatives of SpaceX, led by the Director-General of NEMA, Hajiya Zubaida Umar, during a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa.
The Vice President described the partnership between Nigeria and Starlink, one of the world’s largest satellite internet constellations, as a significant step towards strengthening emergency and disaster management in the country.
He noted that the collaboration would enhance NEMA’s response time and improve coordination during emergency situations, which he said is critical to effective disaster response and humanitarian interventions across Nigeria.
The Vice President said that “communication is the essence of humanity and during the period of emergencies and flood disasters, partnerships with Starlink can come in handy.”
While commending the efforts of NEMA, VP Shettima assured the management of Space X of the efficient and effective use of donated equipment by the staff of the agency at designated stations across the country.
The Director General of NEMA, Hajiya Zubaida Umar thanked the tech giant for the donation of the high-speed, reliable satellite internet hardware and data plans to support emergency response and disaster management operations across Nigeria.
Hajiya Umar said; “the communication gadgets comprising 91 standard and mini boxes will greatly address some of the critical challenges faced by NEMA in managing emergency in underserved or hard-to-reach areas across the country.”
The NEMA DG disclosed that the agency would deploy some of the facilities to 50 designated flashpoints across the country, while its command-and-control centre will be re-equipped to improve its emergency intervention operations in the country.
The representative of Space X Starlink, Mr Peter Kroetger, commended Nigeria for its effective disaster preparedness and management despite challenges related to technology adoption and integration.
He expressed satisfaction with the structure at NEMA for disaster preparedness and emergency management, which, he noted, is key in the deployment of the Space X technology.
