The Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, has said Nigeria’s space sector holds vast potential for wealth creation, youth empowerment, and economic development, if properly harnessed.
Speaking at the 2025 NASRDA top management retreat held in Uyo, Dr. Adepoju revealed that the agency plans to train 200,000 Nigerian youths annually through skills acquisition programs targeting space-related industries. This initiative will be implemented via regional training hubs in each of the country’s six geopolitical zones.
According to him, the project is designed to equip young Nigerians with the necessary skills to tap into job opportunities in the fast-growing global space economy. Construction of the first of these regional hubs is already underway and is expected to be completed and commissioned within the year.
He emphasized that where problems exist, so do opportunities. “Problems signal opportunities for wealth creation,” he said, “but only if you have the skills to solve them.”
In addition to youth training, NASRDA is preparing to launch two new satellites to replace older ones, including the NigSat-1 launched in 2011.
Adepoju disclosed that Nigeria has secured a seat aboard Blue Origin’s space program and will soon select the first Nigerian to participate in a mission, in collaboration with the U.S.-based Space Exploration and Research Agency.
He added that at least two of four new satellites will be sent into orbit within the next year, further bolstering Nigeria’s space presence.
Dr. Adepoju also announced that President Bola Tinubu has approved a take-off grant to establish national space regulations and spectrum management—an area that has been lacking in Nigeria. He attributed the poor quality of some telecommunications and broadcast services to the absence of proper space sector regulation.
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“It’s unfortunate that in 2025, we still experience signal loss during important broadcasts due to cloud cover,” he said, recounting how his television cut off during the President’s speech due to poor transponder quality. “Such disruptions occur because we lack regulatory oversight in our satellite services.”
He stressed that regulation is NASRDA’s responsibility across all segments of the space industry—upstream, midstream, and downstream.
The Director General encouraged the private sector to invest in Nigeria’s space economy, which he described as the fastest-growing economic sector globally.
He highlighted the sector’s potential to boost national GDP, reduce unemployment, and improve national security through surveillance and geospatial technologies.
The retreat, themed “NASRDA Beyond the Horizon: Building a Resilient Workforce for Space Economy and National Security,” convened key stakeholders to strategize on the agency’s future goals.
NAN
