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Atiku and Salis
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday hosted Chief Owolabi Salis, the first Nigerian to travel to space.
Atiku announced the meeting on his official X account, welcoming Salis and celebrating the historic flight.
“It was both an honour and a pleasure to host Astronaut Owolabi Salis, Nigeria’s first astronaut.
“We engaged in fascinating discussions about how to advance Nigeria beyond the skies,” the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate said.
Salis made history on June 29, 2025, when he flew aboard Blue Origin’s NS-33 “Solstice 33” suborbital mission from West Texas.
The 10-minute flight crossed the Kármán line at an altitude of 105.2 kilometres, making him the first person of Nigerian birth to reach space.
The US-based lawyer, chartered accountant and philanthropist from Ikorodu, Lagos, was one of six passengers on the mission.
Salis has described the flight as a milestone not just for himself but for Nigeria and Africa’s place in global scientific exploration.
Before the spaceflight, he was also recognised as the first Black African to visit both the Arctic and Antarctic in the same season. (The Sun)
