NASRDA seeks private sector collaboration to expand Nigeria’s space economy
By Aboki Forex —
The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) is seeking deeper collaboration with private sector players to expand Nigeria’s space economy and strengthen the country’s position in the global space industry.
Prof. Matthew Adepoju, Director General and Chief Executive of NASRDA, said this while receiving a delegation from STUPH CHAIN LLC at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday. Adepoju was represented by Dr. Felix Ale, Director of Media and Corporate Communications.
NASRDA backs private sector participation
Adepoju said strategic engagement with private-sector players remains important to advancing Nigeria’s space ambitions. He commended STUPH CHAIN for its efforts to add value to the forthcoming conference.
“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 the agency’s support, including the provision of information needed to achieve its objectives.
“The Agency is committed to providing the necessary information and support to enable them to achieve their goals,” he said.
STUPH CHAIN seeks areas of collaboration
The Chief Executive Officer of STUPH CHAIN LLC, Ogegbo Babajide, said the company was there to explore areas of collaboration with NASRDA. He said the engagement was intended to identify areas where both organisations could work together to support the agency’s activities and programmes.
The engagement mirrors NASRDA’s continued moves to pursue partnerships with private companies to support the development of Nigeria’s space capabilities.
Nigeria’s space ambitions
In August 2024, NASRDA partnered with Proforce Ltd. to develop four satellites, including NigeriaSAT 3, NigeriaSAT 4, NigeriaSAT 5 and a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite. The partnership was aimed at advancing satellite technology development, technology transfer and capacity building in Nigeria. At the time, Adepoju called on other private investors to explore opportunities in the country’s space ecosystem.
On October 2, Nigeria’s procurement process for six new satellites under a programme estimated at $2 billion had reached 95% completion. The programme includes three optical Earth-observation satellites, a Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite and two communication satellites, with NASRDA expected to sign agreements with foreign technical partners at the African Space Economic Conference in November.
Earlier, in June 2025, NASRDA signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese satellite company Galaxy Space to deploy direct-to-device satellite connectivity in Nigeria. The partnership also covers technology transfer and training for Nigerian engineers.
What it means for Nigeria
The push for private participation comes as NASRDA works on a $2 billion satellite programme and satellite connectivity deals. For Nigerian businesses and consumers, the agency’s partnerships in satellite development, connectivity and training point to opportunities in telecoms, data and earth observation.