97 per cent of satellites hovering above and covering the African continent are owned by non-African nations and organisations, according to the Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Prof. Seidu Onailo Mohammed.
Mohammed said foreign companies are the ones that have realised the colossal financial benefits which he said run into millions of dollars – far exceeding the annual budget of some African countries.
“Investment in space technology, particularly communication satellites can reel out immense economic development for any nation,” he said.
He acknowledged that space technology is the driving force behind developed and emerging nations like USA and India respectively.
“Although we may have started late, but we have been wise enough to leap-frog into the realm of space-faring nations possessing space technology capabilities,”
Mohammed urged stakeholders in the space industry to key into the successes recorded by the agency in the capabilities of her satellite technologies, especially the communication satellite so as to capture Africa’s communication, broadcast, and broadband markets thereby improving the mass economy of Nigeria.
