Nigeria nears completion of $2bn satellite procurement project

Nigeria’s National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reached 95% completion in the procurement process for a $2 billion satellite programme. The initiative, approved by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, aims to modernize the nation’s space infrastructure and replace aging assets.

The project involves the deployment of six satellites. The constellation will include three optical Earth-observation satellites with sub-metre high-resolution imaging, one satellite utilizing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for day and night imaging, and two communication satellites designated NigComSat-2A and NigComSat-2B.

International partners are involved in the consortium, including Thales Alenia Space of France, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC). NASRDA expects to sign formal MoUs and contractual agreements with these technical partners at the African Space Economic Conference in November.

Beyond communications, the new infrastructure is intended to support security through maritime surveillance and border monitoring, as well as precision agriculture. The programme also includes the development of a new Assembly, Integration and Testing Laboratory, which is expected to be commissioned within 18 months of contract signing to bolster local satellite-development capacity.