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 use of space technology applications in Geosciences fields, Water Resources, Environmental Assessment, Food Security, Natural Resources Management etc.
She conducts several researches amongst which is: Hydrological modelling and Land use Land cover (LULC) of Lake Chad Basin (LCB) supported by NASRDA/UMKC/NSF/NASA. Dr Rakiya was an intern from May – August 2005 with Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Commercialization Office (GRIP) and carried out research under Water Related Issues and Space application in Africa.
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 in February, 2024. She is one of the Vice chairs of ITU/WMO/UNEP Focal Group on Global Initiative on Resilience to Natural Hazards through AI Solution. A member of Project Implementation Team (PIT) for Geo-referenced Infrastructure and Demographic Data for Development (GRID3) Nigeria. She is the coordinator, Nigeria and West Africa Regional CropWatch program. The NASRDA desk officer for World Bank Nigeria ACReSAL project. Dr Rakiya is also a Member of the Advisory Board of the ESA EO AFRICA R&D Facility and a member of ANSO Africa Hub for Science & Innovation (AAHSI) steering committee.
Dr. Rakiya holds a Doctorate degree in Geosciences and Civil Engineering from University of Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, USA, a Masters (MSc in Space Management from International Space University (ISU), Strasbourg, France and another Masters degree (MSc) in Environmental Resources Management from Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo, Nigeria, B.Tech in Geology, Federal University of Technology Yola, Adamawa, and obtained secondary school certificate from Government Girls Science Secondary School Bauchi, Nigeria. She has Certificate in Concept & Skill in Applied Earth Science Research from International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), Netherlands. She is a visiting lecturer with Institute of Space Science Engineering (ISSE), African University of Science and Technology (AUST) in Abuja, Nigeria and a Resource person for UN African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education – English (ARCSSTEE).
Dr. Rakiya is a fellow of Geoinformation 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), 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 and Nigeria Cartographic Association (NCA).
