Nigerian Prof. Ojigi becomes AFRIGIST’s boss
Story from Abah ADAH, Abuja
The Governing Council of the African Regional Institute for Geospatial Information Science and Technology (AGRIGIST) has confirmed the appointment of Nigerian Professor Lazarus Mustapha Ojigi of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Obasanjo Space Centre, Abuja as the Executive Director (ED)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the regional organisation.
This was disclosed in a statement signed and issued Thursday in Abuja by Abu Michael, the head of Press and Public Relations, Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGoF) of Nigeria.
AFRIGIST, which has Nigeria’s Surveyor General of the Federation (SGoF), Surv. Abudulganiyu Adeyemi Adebomehin, and Professor Aderemi Adediji as First and Second Representatives of the Nigerian government on its Governing Council respectively, is jointly being managed by Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Nigeria, the host country to member-states currently.
AFRIGIST formerly known as Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS) was established under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in 1972 to build and increase capacities in geospatial information, science and technology including their applications.
It is a bilingual (English and French) Intergovernmental Joint Institution for African countries having full Diplomatic Accreditation in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and it is situated within the campus of the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
According to the statement, in the letter of appointment signed by Chairman of the council, Mr Alain Sourou Kiki, representative of the government of Benin Republic, dated 11th November 2022, the appointment which would be for a fixed term of four years is with effect from 6th January 2023.
Professor Ojigi is taking over from Dr Akingbade Adewale Olusola whose tenure will expire by 5th January 2023.
For the position, the council received 32 applications that were screened with 4 later shortlisted and interviewed.
The incoming Executive Director of the Institute, Professor Ojigi who is currently the Director of Mission Planning and Satellite Data Management at NASRDA had his National Diploma in Surveying from Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State (1988); B.Sc. Surveying, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1994) and had his mandatory National Youth Service Scheme in present day Kebbi State, 1993/95. He had his postgraduate training at the Federal University of Technology, Minna for his Masters Degree and PhD in Applied Remote-Sensing in 1998 and 2005 respectively.
Ojigi who specialised in space and satellite geodesy, remote-sensing and marine geospatial engineering, surveying, and spatial data science is the Secretary General of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) National Committee for Nigeria/Nigerian Union of Planetary and Radio Sciences.
His experience spanned about 28 years both in teaching, research, and administration.
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