Senate Approves Shaba As DG NASRDA

The Senate approved Dr. Halilu Ahmad Shaba’s appointment as Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency on Wednesday (NASRDA).

Shaba’s confirmation came after the Senate Committee on Science and Technology’s report was debated in plenary in Abuja.

Senator Uche Ekwunife, the Committee’s Chairman, presented the paper.

When Senate President Ahmad Lawan put the Committee’s recommendation to a voice vote, senators approved Shaba’s confirmation.

On Tuesday, March 2, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari forwarded Shaba’s name to the Upper Chamber for screening and confirmation as DG NASRDA.

Buhari urged lawmakers to give his request priority consideration in the message.

Shaba had been serving as the agency’s acting director general since Professor Seidu Mohammed’s two-term tenure ended in June 2020.

On July 2, 2019, the Agency announced the appointment of Mr Jonathan Angulu as acting Director-General to ensure a smooth transition between the outgoing DG and the incoming one.

Jonathan handed over to Shaba two days ago, instructing him to serve as acting director general of the agency until the Federal Government appoints a permanent director general.

Since joining NASRDA in 2009, Shaba has worked in various leadership roles before being named as the agency’s acting Director-General.

He was most recently the Director of Strategic Space Applications, where he oversaw the department’s policy development and implementation within the national space program context.

Before joining NASRDA, Shaba worked as a Deputy Director at the National Emergency Management Agency from 2006 to 2009.