…says space ambitions must be anchored in outcomes, accountability, national value*
President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, directed relevant authorities to immediately release funds for the maintenance of Nigeria’s space assets, in line with relevant national space policies.
This is just as the President reiterated his Administration’s commitment to the realisation of Nigeria’s space policy and programme as enshrined in the revised 25-year roadmap for space development.
Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, in a statement, said the President gave the directive at the first meeting of the national Space Council held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja
President Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said “I hereby approved that cost of the implementation of the approved revised 25-year roadmap for the implementation of the national space policy be forwarded to the Federal Executive Council for consideration and approval.”
Underscoring the importance of the Space policy, the President warned that, “Nigeria will not watch the new frontier unfold from the sideline. We will participate, we will compete, we will contribute. Our space ambitions must be anchored in outcomes, accountability and national value.
“We must build a programme that serves the farmer in the field, the teacher in the classroom, the entrepreneur in the market, the soldier on duty, the researcher in the laboratory and the policy maker who must plan with evidence rather than guess work. This is how a nation turns attitude into advantage.”
President Tinubu also assured that his Administration, through the Renewed Hope Agenda is committed to developing the society “by engaging relevant human resources for the socio-economic improvement of our nation.
“We shall be steadfast in providing the required support to the success of the space programme as well as relevant resources needed for its growth and the successful realisation of the mandate of the nation’s space agency,” he added.
Read also: Tinubu replaces Anite-Uzoka with Oyedele as minister of state for finance
He stated that his Administration’s investments in the sector was prompted by the opportunities in the outer space “as a new frontier for human development, as a stimulus for increased technological advancement and economic diversification.”
According to him, the outer space provides “a unique challenge and platform for effective exploration and exploitation of the nation’s natural resources as well as the protection of its environment.
“Space technology remains the foundation for cyber security and a vibrant digital economy. The space economy is rapidly growing and it’s expected to exceed 1 trillion dollars by 2040. When we invest in space, we are not funding a distant dream.
“We are funding precision in agriculture and security in our borders; we are funding early warning systems against floods and fires, smarter cities, safer skies, stronger communications and a digital economy that can compete with the best in the world. We are funding the confidence of a nation that refuses to be trapped by the limits of yesterday.”
President Tinubu also charged th space agency to be alive to its mandate of ensuring that space assets and resources over Nigeria are used responsibly, President Tinubu directed the agency to “employ all legally available means to enforce the space regulation and spectrum management framework for a secure utilisation of space assets and resources over Nigeria on behalf of the National Space Council as provided in the NASDRA Act 2010.
“I also direct all MDAs, stakeholders and the private sector to comply with the space regulatory framework. This directive also includes timely release of all approved funds for this purpose by the Federal Ministry of Finance,” the President further stated.
Kingsley Udeh, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, described the National Space Council meeting chaired by the Vice President, on behalf the President, as a historic meeting with landmark outcomes for the improvement of Nigeria’s space industry and ecosystem.
According to him, other decisions taken at the meeting included the approval of the “Conditions of Service and Staff Regulation” of the Nigerian Space Research and Development Agency to align with international best practices.
