Climate Change: Space Technology and Climate-Resilient Development in Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria, like other Sub-Saharan African countries contribute less to climate change but the country is vulnerable to climate change-induced dangers of desertification, corrasion, flooding and other bionomic complication. This paper appraises the use of space technology as an instrument in climate change tracking system in the effort to mitigate disaster in Nigeria to ensure sustainable development. The paper observed that if Nigeria had properly utilized its space resources, the effect of the natural disasters that ravaged the country in 2012 would have been significantly reduced. Also, lack of coordination impedes relief efforts in areas stricken by disasters and this is where the stupendous challenge of disaster preparedness reclines in Nigeria in defiance of all official planning and programming. In the light of the impediments in obtaining data in the right quality for disaster management in Nigeria, the National Geospatial Database Infrastructure (NGDI), as a data clearing house domesticated at NASRDA should be made utilitarian by relevant national legislation and support among others. Conversely, NASRDA should focus on acquisition of facilities and provision of services to aggrandize its capabilities.