Acting Director, International Cooperation and Linkages Department, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA)
Dr Rakiya Abdullahi Babamaaji
Dr Rakiya Abdullahi Babamaaji
Dr Rakiya Abdullahi Babamaaji (FGEOSON, MCOMEG) is an Acting Director, International Cooperation and Linkages Department, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA). Her expertise is in the field of Geosciences, Water Resources, Environmental Assessment, Agriculture and natural resources management using satellite data, etc. She is the Vice Chair of ITU/WMO/UNEP Focal Group on Global Initiative on Resilience to Natural Hazards through AI Solution. A member of the Project Implementation Team (PIT) for Geo-referenced Infrastructure and Demographic Data for Development (GRID3), Nigeria. She is the coordinator of the Nigeria CropWatch program. The NASRDA desk officer for the World Bank Nigeria ACReSAL project. Dr Rakiya was elected into the Africa Space Council at the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union, held from February 14th – 15th, 2024. Dr Rakiya is also a Member of the Advisory Board of the ESA EO AFRICA R&D Facility and a member of the ANSO Africa Hub for Science and Innovation Steering Committee. Dr Rakiya holds a Doctorate degree in Geosciences and Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri, USA, a Master’s degree in Space Management from International Space University (ISU), Strasbourg, France and Environmental Resources Management from Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo, Nigeria and a B.Tech in Geology, Federal University of Technology Yola, Adamawa, Nigeria Dr. Rakiya is a fellow of Geospatial Society of Nigeria (GEOSON) and a member of the following professional organizations too: Council of Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG), Nigeria Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), Nigerian Association of Geodesy (NAG), Nigerian Association Of Hydrological Sciences (NAHS), Nigeria Cartographic Association (NCA), America Geophysical Union (AGU), Africa Women in GIS (AWiGIS), Africa Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE), GMES & Africa Academic Network, Women in GMES & Africa etc.
