By Joy Agwunobi.
Nigeria has the potential of earning $400 million annually through the development of its assembly , integration and testing lab [AITL],which is capable of making the most populous African country a satellite launch destination to other countries, according to the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA)
Halilu Shaba, the director general of the NASRDA stated this recently in a media chat, where he noted that the AITL project is captured in Nigeria’s 25 year Space Policy Roadmap.
Shaba maintained optimism that the launching satellites into orbit from Nigeria soil would be crucial to the development of space science and technology in the country, adding that the AITL is a huge project the NASRDA could handle on its own.
According to the NASRDA DG, the agency has been scouting for local investors and other countries to seek partnership as the government may not have the sole capacity to drive investment.
“We are thinking out of the box because it can bring money and we are letting people know that this can bring money. The government can partner with the public on that because for you to launch any satellite, the initial deposit you give for the launch of the satellite minus the kilometers you cover is 20 million Dollars to launch one satellite,” he said
Highlighting some factors that makes Nigeria one of the best destinations for satellite launch,he pointed out that the country is located at the equator. This , he explained, means that getting windows for launch are higher and the distance to the orbit is shorter.
“If we can be a launching destination, it means that if we are launching 20 satellites from Nigeria every year, that gives you about 400 million dollars,’’ he stated.
Shaba also disclosed that offers were being made to some other countries that would want Nigeria to develop the AITL and grant them access over a period.
“They can come and we develop this together, we share the profit, they can launch and as well have a launch pad. Whatever option we are looking at, it has to be to the benefit of Nigeria,’’ he said.
The NASRDA DG also noted that the agency was developing its rocketry and propulsion experience, stressing that though its profits were coming in trickles, the agency is bent on engaging every platform to educate Nigerians about Space Science and Technology.
He disclosed further that the avenues being explored include expanding the scope of the agency’s social media engagements targeted at the youths and the banks for the development of visibility tools.
Shaba described the world as a global village, noting that the digital economy is incomplete without satellites, a pertinent reason the agency wants the youths to identify with technology to harness the global world.
