African Regional Institute for Geospatial Information Science and Technology (AGRIGIST) Governing Council has confirmed the appointment of Nigerian-born, Prof. Lazarus Mustapha Ojigi of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Abuja as its Executive Director (ED).
AFRIGIST has the Surveyor General of the Federation (SGoF), Abudulganiyu Adebomehin and Prof. Aderemi Adediji as First and Second Nigerian on its Governing Council jointly managed by Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Nigeria, the host country member-states.
According to the letter of appointment signed by Chairman of the council, Mr. Alain Sourou Kiki, representative of the Government of Benin Republic, dated 11 th November, 2022, indicated that the appointment which would be for a fixed term of four years is with effect from January 6, 2023.
Ojigi would be taking over from Dr. Akingbade Adewale Olusola whose tenure would expire by 5 th January, 2023. For the position, the council received 32 applications that were screened with four later shortlisted and interviewed.
Ojigi, who is currently the Director of Mission Planning and Satellite Data Management at NASRDA had his National Diploma in Surveying, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State (1988); B.Sc. Surveying, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1994).
He had his mandatory National Youth Service Scheme in present day Kebbi State, 1993/95 and 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 specialises in space and satellite geodesy, remote-sensing and marine geospatial, engineering surveying, and spatial data science is the Secretary Committee for Nigeria/Nigerian Union of Planetary and Radio Sciences.
His experience spanned about 28 years both in teaching and research. He belonged to many other regional and international Generals of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) National organizations.
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.
