Nigeria aims for stars, sends first citizen to space

Nigeria is set to make history by sending its first citizen to space, as announced by Mathew Adepoju, Director General of Nigeria’s National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), during a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

This mission is the result of a new partnership between NASRDA and the Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA), marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s space exploration journey.

“This collaboration, which is coming to the country, marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s 25th anniversary of Space Exploration journey and opens new opportunities for scientific research and technological advancement,” said Adepoju, as reported by Punch Newspaper.

Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji, highlighted the broader impacts of this initiative, stating that the partnership will not only accelerate the nation’s technological advancements but also inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers, according to Channels Television.

Nigeria has been committed to space exploration since the establishment of NASRDA in 1999. Since then, the country has launched five satellites, with three still operational and providing essential services.

The most recent satellite, NigeriaSat-X, was the first to be designed and constructed by NASRDA engineers, showcasing the nation’s growing expertise in space technology.