By IJEOMA OLORUNFEMI

The Federal Government begins procurement processes for four additional satellites approved by President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, said this on Wednesday while addressing a news conference on the forthcoming African Space Economy, Innovation and Communication Conference (ASEICC 2026) in Abuja.

The conference, scheduled for Nov. 24 to Nov. 27 would be hosted by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

He said the procurement had reached the stage of recommending successful bidders following an international competitive bidding process involving companies from China, Israel, Europe, the United States and Nigeria.

According to him, officials of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, NASRDA and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) had also inspected facilities of some satellite manufacturers to verify their claims before recommending them.

“The next stage is approval to award the contracts, which will also require Federal Executive Council approval because substantial funding is involved,” he said.

The minister said ASEICC 2026 would provide an opportunity for African countries and international partners to explore collaborations and discuss the potential benefits of the proposed satellites.

He explained that the satellites would provide services not only to Nigeria but also to other African countries interested in accessing their services, creating opportunities for partnerships and revenue generation.

Udeh said the conference would also challenge African countries to move beyond contracting foreign companies to manufacture satellites and begin developing local capacity to design and manufacture them within the continent.

He put the value of Africa’s space economy at more than 25 billion dollars, with an annual growth rate of 7.97 per cent, describing the sector as one of the continent’s rapidly expanding industries.

On the implementation of recommendations from the previous conference and expectations for the year’s own, Udeh said the platform had encouraged African countries to view their individual space programmes as interconnected ecosystems.

He added that the ecosystem was capable of generating mutual benefits through collaboration.

He described the conference as a peer-review platform where countries assess their progress, share experiences and encourage one another to achieve agreed targets, rather than a mechanism for enforcing compliance.

Udeh disclosed that one of the key recommendations from the previous conference was for Nigeria to establish its own satellite launch facility.

According to him, progress has been made, including the allocation of land by Lagos State government in Epe for the establishment of a satellite propulsion and transportation facility.

“This shows that we are not just making recommendations and proposals. We are taking practical steps towards manufacturing satellites and launching them from Nigeria,” he said.

He added that the participation of chief executives of space agencies across Africa and beyond reflected the growing interest in the conference and the achievements recorded through previous engagements. (NAN)