The Federal Government is seeking deeper private-sector participation in Nigeria’s space industry as it moves to expand the country’s space economy and strengthen its position in the global space sector.
Prof. Matthew Adepoju, Director-General and Chief Executive of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), made this known when he received a delegation from STUPH CHAIN LLC during a courtesy visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Adepoju, who was represented by Dr Felix Ale, NASRDA’s Director of Media and Corporate Communications, said collaboration with private-sector players was critical to advancing Nigeria’s space ambitions.
He commended STUPH CHAIN for its interest in contributing to the forthcoming conference and said stronger engagement between government and businesses could create new opportunities within the space ecosystem. “Strategic private-sector engagement remains integral to advancing Nigeria’s space ambitions, and their effort towards adding value to the conference is a step in the right direction,” Adepoju said.
He assured the delegation of NASRDA’s support, including access to relevant information and other assistance required to advance areas of collaboration. “The Agency is committed to providing the necessary information and support to enable them to achieve their goals,” he said.
Ogegbo Babajide, Chief Executive Officer of STUPH CHAIN LLC, said the company’s visit was aimed at exploring areas of collaboration with NASRDA.
According to him, the engagement was designed to identify opportunities for both organisations to work together in support of the agency’s programmes and activities.
The development highlights the growing emphasis on partnerships between NASRDA and private companies as Nigeria seeks to develop its domestic space capabilities and build a stronger commercial ecosystem around space technology.
NASRDA has increasingly turned to partnerships with private-sector companies to support satellite development, technology transfer and technical capacity building.
In August 2024, NASRDA partnered with Proforce Limited to develop four satellites — NigeriaSAT 3, NigeriaSAT 4, NigeriaSAT 5 and a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite.
The partnership was designed to advance Nigeria’s satellite technology capabilities while promoting technology transfer and developing local technical expertise.
Adepoju had also called on private investors to explore opportunities within Nigeria’s emerging space ecosystem.
