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 NASRDA Logo | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | NASRDA |
| Formed | 5 May 1999; 26 years ago (1999-05-05) |
| Type | Space agency |
| Jurisdiction | Federal Government of Nigeria |
| Headquarters | Garki, Abuja,Nigeria 9°4′N7°29′E / 9.067°N 7.483°E /9.067; 7.483 |
| Administrator | Dr. Mathew Adepoju Director-General |
| Owner |  Nigeria |
| Employees | 3,500 (2021) |
| Annual budget | ₦ 22.69 billion (2023)[1] |
| Website | https://central.nasrda.gov.ng/ |
TheNational Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) is the nationalspace agency ofNigeria. It is a parastatal underFederal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology. The agency is based in the Nigerian capital city ofAbuja in theLugbe district and has a ground receiving station, among various other sites. In the past, it has cooperated in space technology with theUnited Kingdom,[2]China,Ukraine andRussia.[3] The agency has struggled with meeting its financial plans and some of its facilities are rundown. Despite this, thespace agency is one of the most advanced space agencies inAfrica, boasting of four satellites and very grand ambitions. Nigeria's satellites have been praised for theirhigh-resolution images.[4] NASRDA is host to one of UN-SPIDER's Regional Support Offices (RSO) in Africa.
NASRDA was established on 5 May 1999, after a preparation period since in 1998 byNigerian presidentOlusegun Obasanjo and theNigerian government with a primary objective of establishing a "fundamental policy for thedevelopment of space science and technology" with an initial budget of $93 million.[5]
In May 2006, the new extended national space program was adopted.[6] NASRDA haslaunched four satellites of its own, the first one in 2003 and the last one in 2009.
The initial scope of the Nigerian Space Programme (NSP) to be implemented by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) should include:
The study of basicspace science in order to lay the foundation for deriving maximum benefits from the nation's participation in the space enterprise; For the attainment of space capabilities, Nigeria's efforts should focus on research and rigorous education, engineering development, design and manufacture, particularly in the areas of instrumentation, rocketry and small satellites as well as in satellite data acquisition, processing, analysis and management of related software; The establishment of a national earth observation station for remote sensing and satellite meteorology data acquisition. The provision of efficient, reliable, and adequate telecommunications services in Nigeria to enhance the growth of the industrial, commercial and administrative sectors of the economy. The focus areas of the Nigerian Space Programme (NSP) include:
Basic Space Science and Technology to provide an understanding of how the universe works and what its impact is on the world. This will enable us to lay the foundation for deriving maximum benefits from the nation's participation in the space enterprise.
Remote Sensing to help Nigerians understand and manage our environment and natural resources using space-acquired information. This technology will enable us to better understand our land, air, and water resources and their associated problems.
Satellite Meteorology to study atmospheric and weather sciences using satellite data to facilitate the effective management of our environment.
Communication and Information Technology to provide efficient and reliable telecommunications services for Nigeria in order to enhance the growth of the industrial, commercial and administrative sectors of the economy.
Defence and Security to help theFederal Government shall develop a necessary Space Science Technology (SST) programme that will address the national needs of Nigeria. For this purpose, the government shall establish a Defence Space Command in theMinistry of Defence. The Command shall comprise representatives of thedefence,intelligence, security and law enforcement services and report through theMinistry of Defence.
Fivesatellites have been launched by theNigerian government intoouter space. Early plans to launch a nationalsatellite in 2000 were not executed. TheNigeriaSat-1 was the first Nigerian satellite and built by a United Kingdom-based satellite technology company, Surrey Space Technology Limited (SSTL ltd) under the Nigerian government sponsorship for $30 million. The satellite was launched byKosmos-3M rocket from the RussianPlesetsk spaceport on 27 September 2003. NigeriaSat-1 was part of the worldwide Disaster Monitoring Constellation System.[7] The primary objectives of the Nigeriasat-1 were: to give early warning signals of environmental disaster; to help detect and controldesertification in the northern part of Nigeria; to assist indemographic planning; to establish the relationship between vectors and the environment that breeds malaria and to give early warning signals on future outbreaks ofmeningitis using remote sensing technology; to provide the technology needed to bring education to all parts of the country through distant learning; and to aid in conflict resolution and border disputes by mapping out state and International borders.
NigeriaSat-2 andNigeriaSat-X, Nigeria's third and fourth satellites, were built as a high-resolution earth satellite by SSTL for DMC system also. It has 2.5-metre resolution panchromatic (very high resolution), 5-metre multispectral (high resolution, NIR red, green and red bands), and 32-metre multispectral (medium resolution, NIR red, green and red bands) antennas. This satellite was launched intoorbit by the Ukrainian Dnepr rocket from aYasny military base in Russia on 17 August 2011.[8]
NigComSat-1, a Nigerian satellite ordered and built in China in 2004, was Nigeria's second satellite and Africa's first communication satellite. It was launched on 13 May 2007, aboard a ChineseLong March 3Bcarrier rocket, from theXichang Satellite Launch Centre in China. The spacecraft was operated by NigComSat a company under the Nigerian Space Agency,NASRDA. On 11 November 2008, NigComSat-1 failed in orbit after running out of power due to an anomaly in its solar array. It was based on the ChineseDFH-4satellite bus, and carries a variety oftransponders: 4C band; 14Ku band; 8Ka band; and 2L band. It was designed to provide coverage to many parts of Africa, and the Ka band transponders would also cover Italy.
On 10 November 2008 (0900 GMT), the satellite was reportedly switched off for analysis and to avoid a possible collision with other satellites. According to Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, it was put into "emergency mode operation in order to effect mitigation and repairs".[9] The satellite eventually failed after losing power on 11 November 2008.
On 24 March 2009, the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, NigComSat Ltd. and CGWIC signed a further contract for the in-orbit delivery of the NigComSat-1R satellite. NigComSat-1R was also a DFH-4 satellite, and is expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2011 as a replacement for the failed NigComSat-1.[10]
On 19 December 2011, a new Nigerian communications satellite was launched into orbit by China in Xichang. The satellite according to Nigerian PresidentGoodluck Jonathan which was paid for by the insurance policy on NigComSat-1 which de-orbited in 2009, would have a positive impact on national development in various sectors such as communications, internet services, health, agriculture, environmental protection and national security.[11]
NigComSat-2 andNigComSat-3 - more communications satellites to extend Nigerian Communication Satellite limited capacity, planning to launch in 2012 and 2013. As of 2021, they have not been launched.
NigeriaSAT-1 - dual-aimed military/civil Earth monitoring satellite withsynthetic aperture radar, planning to launch in 2015. As of 2023, they have not been launched.
Edusat-2 is a satellite planned to be launched in June or July 2021. It plans to be the first indigenous satellite developed by NASRDA engineers. It hopes to be launched from theInternational Space Station. It is expected to cost about₦20,000,000.[14]
Robert Ajayi Boroffice announced at a public lecture on space technology development that Nigeria will be able to build indigenous satellites in the country without foreign assistance by 2018.[15] As of 2021, all of Nigeria's 4 satellites have used foreign assistance.
Robert Ajayi Boroffice told the press that Nigeria will take advantage of its geographic location to launch into near-equatorial orbit by an indigenous developed space launcher from a national spaceport to be built around 2025–2028. It may also include collaboration withUkraine.[16]
A probe to theMoon is planned for launch in 2030.[17] That being said, there has not been any official updates on the production.
Nigeria announced plans in 2016 to send an astronaut to space by 2030, initially exploring partnerships with Russia and later China. Despite these ambitions, no government-backed astronaut program has materialized due to high costs, as confirmed by NASRDA in 2024.
However, in June 2025, Nigerian-born philanthropist Chief Owolabi Salis became the first Nigerian to travel to space aboard Blue Origin’s NS-33 mission, marking a historic milestone.[18][19]
While the infamous “lost Nigerian astronaut” email remains a hoax, Nigeria continues to focus on satellite development and space-based research, including agricultural experiments aboard NASA missions. As NASRDA’s former Director-General stated, “We are not part of the race for the moon or Mars.”.[20]
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