By Nkechi Eze
Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima has commended the partnership between the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and SpaceX’s Starlink, describing it as a strategic collaboration that will significantly enhance emergency coordination and disaster response across Nigeria.
The Vice President gave the commendation at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when the Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, led a delegation from SpaceX’s Starlink Crisis Response Team on a courtesy visit following the donation of 91 Starlink communication terminals to the agency.
The donation is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s disaster preparedness and emergency response infrastructure by improving communication capabilities during emergencies, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
Senator Shettima praised NEMA for embracing innovative technology to bolster disaster management operations, noting that the deployment of advanced communication tools would improve the effectiveness of emergency response efforts nationwide.
The donation followed proactive engagements initiated by NEMA with the technology company to explore innovative solutions for enhancing emergency communication, preparedness, and response operations.
Speaking during the visit, Mrs. Zubaida Umar expressed appreciation to the Starlink SpaceX Crisis Response Team for the donation of the satellite internet hardware, describing it as a major boost to the agency’s operational capacity.
She explained that the communication terminals would help address critical communication challenges frequently encountered during emergency operations, especially in hard-to-reach locations where conventional communication infrastructure may be unavailable or disrupted.
According to the NEMA Director General, the facilities will also support the operations of the agency’s National Emergency Coordination and Communication Centre, strengthening operational coordination and enabling real-time emergency response management across the country.
On his part, the representative of SpaceX Starlink, Mr. Peter Kroetger, commended Nigeria’s disaster management efforts and acknowledged NEMA’s institutional framework and commitment to emergency preparedness and response.
He expressed confidence that the donated facilities would contribute significantly to improving communication and coordination during disaster response operations, further supporting efforts to protect lives and livelihoods across Nigeria.
