The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has commended the partnership between Nigeria and global satellite internet provider Starlink, describing it as a major leap forward in strengthening the country’s emergency and disaster response capabilities.
Shettima gave the commendation on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and SpaceX Starlink technical team led by NEMA Director General, Hajiya Zubaida Umar.
The Vice President praised the donation of specialised communication equipment to NEMA, noting that improved connectivity and coordination would significantly enhance response time during emergencies across the country.
According to him, effective communication remains central to successful emergency management, especially in a country prone to flooding, displacement, and other humanitarian crises.
“Communication is the essence of humanity,” Shettima stated, stressing that partnerships such as the one with Starlink would play a crucial role in strengthening disaster preparedness and response systems nationwide.
He assured that the donated equipment would be deployed efficiently by NEMA personnel across designated stations in the country, with the aim of improving operational effectiveness during critical interventions.
The donation, which includes 91 standard and mini Starlink communication units, is expected to support emergency response operations, particularly in underserved and hard-to-reach communities where traditional communication infrastructure is weak or unavailable.
Earlier in her remarks, the NEMA Director General, Hajiya Zubaida Umar, expressed appreciation to Starlink for the high-speed satellite internet hardware and data support provided to enhance disaster management operations in Nigeria.
She explained that the equipment would be strategically deployed to at least 50 identified disaster flashpoints across the country, while also upgrading the agency’s command-and-control centre to improve coordination during emergencies.
According to her, the intervention will help address longstanding communication challenges that have often hampered timely response in remote and crisis-prone areas.
The SpaceX Starlink representative, Mr. Peter Kroetger, commended Nigeria’s disaster management framework, describing it as effective and well-structured despite existing technological challenges.
He noted that NEMA’s preparedness architecture provides a strong foundation for the deployment of advanced satellite communication systems, adding that the collaboration would enhance real-time emergency coordination.
The meeting was attended by senior officials of NEMA, including the Director of ICT, Mr. Justin Uwazuruonye, and the Director of Search and Rescue, Air Cdre B.A. Usman, alongside representatives of SpaceX.
The development marks a significant step in Nigeria’s efforts to integrate advanced technology into disaster response systems, as government and private sector partners seek to improve resilience and save lives during emergencies across the country.
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