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On Monday, President Bola Tinubu urged the Nigerian legislature to make the nation’s space programme a top priority, advocating for substantial increases in funding and the necessary reforms to elevate the programme’s capabilities. He emphasized the critical need for national support to ensure that Nigeria competes effectively in the global space race.
This call from President Tinubu came as he officially opened the 25th anniversary event of the National Space Research and Development Agency, which took place at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja. He used the occasion to stress the critical need for greater investment and reform in the country’s space programme.
He highlighted the indispensable role that a robustly funded and strategically empowered space sector plays in advancing Nigeria’s growth, stressing that such a sector is key to maintaining the country’s dominant position in Africa’s fast-developing space industry.
On behalf of the President, Minister Uche Nnaji highlighted the pressing need for enhanced support to secure Nigeria’s position in the emerging fourth industrial revolution. He also pointed to the importance of expanding Nigeria’s global presence in space exploration through stronger international collaborations.
He said, “I am glad that we have a good number of the legislators here to celebrate this milestone together. I, therefore, call upon our legislators to prioritise the funding for our space programme to ensure we play a leading role in this fourth industrial revolution.
“There is also a need to strengthen the Act that established NASRDA to help the Nigerian space ecosystem to be more vibrant in its engagements, locally and internationally. Similarly, the sector will require improved budgetary support to be able to accomplish its programmes, whose outcomes can bring massive socio-economic dividends to Nigeria and its citizens.
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“This will also solidify Nigeria’s standing as a leading space-faring country in Africa and further boost her image to competitively attract foreign direct investment because of our locational advantage for cheaper launching services.”
President Tinubu expressed deep satisfaction at the celebration of Nigeria’s 25 years of active participation in space exploration.
He highlighted how space activities were once dominated by major global powers, with little consideration for Africa, particularly sub-Saharan nations, to play significant roles, saying, “Space, as it was previously known, was an exclusive business of some big countries, and countries in Africa, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, were not considered to have a major role to play.”
However, he praised the foresight of Nigeria’s early leaders in recognising the vital role African nations could play in space exploration and the potential benefits that could be realised. This vision, he said, led to the enactment of the Space Act and the establishment of the National Space Research and Development Agency in 1999.
“Since the creation of NASRDA, the continuous support of the succeeding Presidents, and that of my administration, backed by the Nigerian legislative support, has been instrumental in the giant strides that NASRDA has made and the lofty heights it has attained within its 25 years of its existence.
“It is evident that we are all gathered here today to celebrate the forthrightness and tenacity of Africa’s foremost runner and leading light in space science and technology,” he said.
The Director-General of NASRDA, Dr Mathew Adepoju, said the silver jubilee milestone was a call to more responsibility.
Therefore, he enumerated the agency’s three-point agenda for global competitiveness.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Communications Satellite, Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, called for sustained investment, robust policy support and deeper collaborations among sister agencies.
Egerton-Idehen said, “As we reflect on past achievements, this occasion also challenges us to look ahead. The global space industry is evolving rapidly, and the opportunities are boundless.”
The highlight of Monday’s event was the launch of a 400-page compendium of the activities of the National Space Research and Development Agency in the last 25 years and awards to critical partners of Nigeria’s space programme: the United States of America, China, India, the United Kingdom, among others.