The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, has commended the donation of specialised communication equipment to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) by global satellite internet provider, SpaceX’s Starlink, describing it as a major boost to Nigeria’s emergency and disaster response capabilities. He gave the commendation on Tuesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa by a delegation from NEMA and SpaceX, led by the Director General of NEMA, Hajiya Zubaida Umar.

Senator Shettima said the partnership would strengthen communication, coordination, and response time during emergencies, especially in disaster situations such as flooding, noting that effective communication remains central to humanitarian response efforts. He assured that the donated equipment would be efficiently deployed and properly utilised by NEMA across designated stations nationwide to enhance emergency interventions.

Earlier, the Director General of NEMA, Hajiya Zubaida Umar, appreciated SpaceX for providing high-speed satellite internet hardware and data support, noting that the 91 standard and mini communication units would help address critical connectivity challenges in hard-to-reach areas. She added that the equipment would be deployed across 50 flashpoints nationwide, while the agency’s command-and-control centre would also be upgraded. SpaceX representative, Mr. Peter Kroetger, commended Nigeria’s disaster preparedness structure and expressed confidence in NEMA’s capacity to effectively deploy the technology.