MOHAMMAD HADI AHMAD

Project Manager | Geospatial & Climate Adaptation Scientist
No. 422, Ado Bayero Road, Dorayi Babba, 700103, Kano, NG.

About

Highly accomplished Geospatial and Climate Scientist with a Ph.D. in Geography, specializing in environmental management, remote sensing, and disaster risk management. Expertly leverages advanced geospatial analytics, public health, renewable energy, climate smart technologies and water resource management to address critical environmental challenges, including climate change adaptation and natural resource monitoring. Proven leader in multi-stakeholder projects, driving impactful research and developing innovative solutions for sustainable development and policy development.

Work

SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, POLICY, AND STRATEGY LAB (SESPS LAB)
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Director, Strategy and Impact

Jigawa, Northwestern, Nigeria

Dutse 720101, Jigawa State, Nigeria

Summary

Directed strategic initiatives and provided expertise in geospatial data science and project management

Zonal Advanced Space Technology Applications Laboratory, National Space Research and Development Agency
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Principal Scientific Officer

Kano, Kano State, Nigeria

Summary

Led advanced geospatial projects and managed teams in remote sensing and GIS applications for national development and environmental management.

Highlights

Spearheaded the development of Automated Land Use Land Cover Features Extraction (APPS) from NigeriaSat 2 Images, enhancing data processing efficiency.

Directed a team in mapping irrigation potential zones across Northwestern Nigeria using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), optimizing agricultural planning.

Zonal Advanced Space Technology Applications Laboratory, National Space Research and Development Agency
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Senior Scientific Officer

Kano, Kano State, Nigeria

Summary

Managed and led multiple geospatial projects focusing on natural resource monitoring, soil mapping, and disaster assessment, delivering data-driven insights for regional development.

Highlights

Led a project team on monitoring and archiving natural resources data across Northwestern Nigeria (ERGP19179656), improving data accessibility and utilization.

Headed a project team for the development of automated soil identification and mapping for Sokoto State using satellite remote sensing data (ERGP30204810), enhancing agricultural resource management.

Conducted geospatial data analysis for flood-related deaths in Jigawa State (ERGP19174771), providing critical insights for disaster response and mitigation.

Managed a project on geospatial analysis of desertification driven by climate variability and land use dynamics in Northwestern Nigeria, informing environmental conservation strategies.

Oversaw a project on multipurpose cadastral mapping of educational facilities in Kano Metropolis, improving urban planning and resource allocation.

Independent Consultant
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Data Analyst / Senior Researcher

Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Summary

Provided specialized consultancy services in geospatial analysis, climate modeling, and environmental research for various projects, delivering comprehensive reports and data-driven insights.

Highlights

Performed GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Analysis and Machine Learning approaches for mapping flood-prone areas in the Lower Niger Basin, West Africa.

Conceptualized, analyzed, and presented research on flood risk and adaptation strategies in Hadejia River Basin, Nigeria.

Conducted spatial mapping and temporal trend analysis of climate extreme indices for the Yangtze River Delta using ERA5 Reanalysis Data.

Served as Senior Researcher for a project on radiological survey and soil fertility mapping using nuclear techniques in Patigi, Edu, and Moro LGAs of Kwara State.

Social-Ecological System, Policy and Strategy Lab, Dutse, Jigawa State
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Technical Expert

Dutse, Jigawa State, Nigeria

Summary

Drafted critical policy documents for climate change and global climate finance opportunities, fostering community engagement and environmental resilience under the ACReSAL World Bank-Assisted Program.

Highlights

Authored the Jigawa State Climate Change Policy (JSCCP) and 'Unlocking Global Climate Finance Opportunities for Jigawa State' document.

Facilitated workshops and public consultations to analyze existing climate policies and provide actionable recommendations for emissions reduction and enhanced climate resilience.

Presented policy drafts to the Honorable Commissioner of the Ministry of Environment, Jigawa State, influencing state-level environmental strategies.

National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS)/Gedrite Nigeria Limited
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Senior Researcher

Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Summary

Oversaw the integration of nuclear techniques and remote sensing technology for comprehensive soil fertility mapping and mineralization assessment in Kwara State.

Highlights

Directed the integration of nuclear techniques and remote sensing for soil fertility mapping and mineralization assessment in Kaiama and Baruten LGAs, Kwara State.

Led research on radiological surveys to inform agricultural and environmental management practices.

Border Communities Development Agency
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Senior Researcher

Zamfara State, Northwestern Nigeria, Nigeria

Summary

Led research on interventions to mitigate the spread of naturally occurring radioactive materials resulting from gold and other mining activities.

Highlights

Conducted in-depth research to develop intervention strategies against the spread of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) in Zamfara State.

Collaborated with Haqqun M & Investment Ltd. to address environmental hazards from mining activities.

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
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Research Assistant for Postgraduate Students

Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Summary

Conducted extensive research and data analysis across numerous geospatial and environmental management projects, supporting postgraduate studies and academic publications.

Highlights

Assessed flood risk and adaptation strategies in the Hadejia River Basin, contributing to regional climate resilience planning.

Utilized GIS-Based Spatial Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis to identify optimal nature-based solution sites for urban flood mitigation in Bera District, Malaysia.

Performed GIS-Based Comparative Assessment of Flood Risk Modelling using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and TOPSIS techniques in the Hadejia River Basin.

Conducted principal research on vegetation change driven by climate variability and land use dynamics in Northwestern Nigeria.

Developed expertise in geo-reference coordination, site analysis, digitization, data analysis, map production, and comprehensive project analysis.

Zonal Advanced Space Technology Applications Laboratory, National Space Research and Development Agency
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Scientific Officer I

Kano, Kano State, Nigeria

Summary

Led land use/land cover change detection projects and provided technical support for agricultural suitability models, contributing to sustainable land management.

Highlights

Led a team in land use and land cover change detection for Kano Metropolis (1998-2018), providing crucial data for urban development planning.

Provided technical support for the development of a land suitability model for rice production in Northwestern Nigeria, enhancing agricultural productivity.

Analyzed data for participatory soil salinity/sodicity management, contributing to sustainable crop productivity and improved livelihoods in the Kano River Irrigation Project.

Teachers Service Board, Kaduna State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
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Teacher

Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Summary

Contributed to educational initiatives within the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, leveraging expertise in relevant scientific fields.

Highlights

Supported educational programs and initiatives focused on science and technology.

Collaborated with the Teachers Service Board to implement educational policies and standards.

Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS)
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Surveyor I

Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Summary

Led essential field surveys and managed teams to create detailed plans and cadastral maps for residential, commercial, and industrial layouts.

Highlights

Oversaw and led teams in conducting essential field surveys, ensuring data accuracy and project efficiency.

Facilitated the creation of detailed plans and cadastral maps for various urban layouts, supporting land development initiatives.

Tabirni Research Consultant Limited
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Research Consultant

Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Summary

Provided expertise in hydrological, climate, and environmental modeling, alongside comprehensive project management and data analysis.

Highlights

Developed and applied hydrological, climate, and environmental models to address complex ecological challenges.

Conducted sites suitability modeling and managed map updating, reducing, and production processes.

Performed qualitative and quantitative data entry, computation, and analysis for various research projects.

Provided training on statistical packages including SPSS, RStudio, Minitab, and XLStat to enhance team capabilities.

Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria
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Laboratory Assistant

Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Summary

Maintained laboratory equipment and materials, and provided direct assistance to students and faculty for chemical engineering experiments.

Highlights

Managed the setup and maintenance of laboratory equipment and materials, ensuring operational readiness for experiments.

Provided critical support to students and faculty during experiments, contributing to the successful completion of practical sessions.

Volunteer

Bayero University Kano
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Volunteer Lecturer, Department of Geography

Kano, Kano State, Nigeria

Summary

Provided instruction for undergraduate courses in meteorology and environmental management, enhancing student understanding of critical geographical concepts.

Highlights

Taught MET 3206: Synoptic Analysis and Current Weather (2023/2024 academic year).

Instructed MET 203: Instrumentations and Environmental Management (2024/2025 academic year).

Kakaki Progressive Association, Zaria
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Public Sensitization and Awareness Campaigner

Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Summary

Led voluntary public awareness campaigns on environmental issues and climate change adaptation strategies within the Urban Zaria community.

Highlights

Rendered voluntary public awareness campaigns on the dangers of deforestation, promoting sustainable environmental practices.

Educated farmers on the impacts of climate change in agriculture and provided adaptation strategies to enhance resilience.

Organized training and workshops on Remote Sensing and GIS Technology for secondary and higher institution students in urban Zaria, fostering technological literacy.

Education

Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Geography and Environmental Management

Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

M. Sc.

Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems

Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Bachelor of Science

Geography and Environmental Management

Awards

Local Scholarship Awardee

Awarded By

Petroleum Technology Development Fund

Recognized for academic excellence and potential in a field critical to national development, supporting advanced studies.

Publications

Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Dalili Sector of the Kano River Irrigation Project: A Prelude to Land Degradation and Food Insecurity.

Published by

Sule Lamido University Journal of Science & Technology

Summary

An analysis of land use and land cover changes in the Kano River Irrigation Project area, highlighting implications for degradation and food security.

Impact of Land Use and Land Cover Changes on Flood Occurrences in the Hadejia River Basin.

Published by

1st International Conference on Atmospheric, Earth and Space Sciences

Summary

Paper presented on the impact of land use and land cover changes on flood occurrences in the Hadejia River Basin.

Integrated analysis of flood risk in the Hadejia River Basin: Interactions among climate variability, land use, and socioeconomic factors.

Published by

1st Zonal Conference organized by the Association of Nigerian Geographers (ANG)

Summary

Paper presented on the integrated analysis of flood risk, considering climate, land use, and socioeconomic factors in the Hadejia River Basin.

Impact of climate change and adaptations for cultivation of millets in Central Sahel: A review.

Published by

Environmental Sustainability

Summary

A review exploring the impacts of climate change on millet cultivation in Central Sahel and effective adaptation strategies.

Modeling the Influence of Daily Temperature and Precipitation Extreme Indices on Vegetation Dynamics in Katsina State Using Statistical Downscaling Model (SDM).

Published by

Ecological Indicators

Summary

Research modeling the effects of extreme temperature and precipitation on vegetation dynamics using advanced statistical downscaling models.

Flood Policy and Governance: A Pathway for Policy Coherence in Nigeria.

Published by

Sustainability

Summary

An analysis of flood policy and governance frameworks in Nigeria, proposing pathways for enhanced policy coherence.

Evaluating the Performance of Machine Learning Algorithms and Maximum Likelihood Classifier for Land-Use and Land-Cover Change Detection in Yola, Nigeria.

Published by

Sule Lamido University Journal of Science & Technology

Summary

Research evaluating the effectiveness of machine learning algorithms for land-use and land-cover change detection in Yola, Nigeria.

Assessing the Suitability of Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis) Production in Peninsular Malaysia based on Soil, Climate and Land Use.

Published by

Nature Environment and Pollution Technology

Summary

Research assessing optimal conditions for oil palm production in Peninsular Malaysia using environmental factors.

Geospatial simulation and mapping of climate suitability for oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) production in Peninsular Malaysia using GIS / remote sensing techniques and the analytic hierarchy process.

Published by

Modeling Earth Systems and Environment

Summary

A geospatial simulation study to map climate suitability for oil palm production using advanced GIS and remote sensing techniques.

An Assessment of Desertification Trend in Sokoto State, Nigeria using Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) Imageries from AQUA-MODIS.

Published by

International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology

Summary

An assessment of desertification trends in Sokoto State using satellite imagery and Enhanced Vegetation Index.

Certificates

Project Completion as Team Member and Co-Principal Investigator for the "Adaptation and Prediction of Climate Variability for Flood Risk Management in the Hadejia River Basin and its Environs" project

Issued By

Climate Adaptation Research Program (CARP), USAID, University of Arizona, Centre for Collaboration in Africa (CCA) at Stellenbosch University

Skills

Geospatial Analysis & Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Geographical Analysis, Spatial Analysis, Grid Analysis, Digital Image Processing, Geodata Science, Satellite Remote Sensing Data, Land Use Land Cover (LULC) Change Detection, Cadastral Mapping, Geo-referencing, Site Analysis, Digitization, Map Production, ArcMap, ERDAS IMAGINE, IDRISI, SNAP, ENVI, QGIS, Google Earth.

Environmental & Climate Modeling

Climate Change Adaptation, Environmental Monitoring, Hydrological Modeling, Disaster Risk Management, Climate Variability Prediction, Flood Risk Management, Desertification Analysis, Land Suitability Modeling, Vegetation Dynamics, Environmental Resilience, WEAP, ARCSWAT, Statistical Downscaling Models (SDSM).

Data Science & Machine Learning

Data Analysis, Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, Statistical Analysis, Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), Python, R, SQL (PostgreSQL), Git, GitHub, Excel, API, SPSS, XLSTAT, RStudio, Minitab, XLStat.

Project Management & Research

Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Scientific Research, Report Writing, Data Interpretation, Policy Development, Stakeholder Management, Community Engagement, Capacity Building, Strategic Planning, Research Design, Problem Solving.

Software & Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access), Google Docs, Visual Studio Code, Internet Web-based Ability, Networking Solutions.

Interests

Hobbies

Research, Traveling, Internet Surfing.

References

Engr. Muhammad Dahiru Rabiu

HOD, Space Explorations Department, Zonal Advanced Space Applications Laboratory, National Space Research and Development Agency. Tel: +2348069121365, E-mail: dahirurd@gmail.com

Dr. Ibrahim Muktar

HOD, Department of Geography and Environmental Management, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. Tel: +2348137587185, E-mail: mukhee2002@gmail.com

Professor Tasiu Yalwa Rilwanu

Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Bayero University Kano. Tel: +23439535378, E-Mail: tryalwa.geog@buk.edu.ng