President Tinubu Approves ₦20 Billion For NASRDA’s Groundbreaking Space Development Project

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, NASRDA’s Director-General, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, revealed that the agency’s regulatory role, as outlined in the NASDRA Act of 2010, had not been fulfilled since the agency’s establishment in 1999.

This announcement comes ahead of the NASDRA stakeholders’ workshop on space regulation, scheduled for April 8.

Adepoju shared that after taking office, he submitted a memo to President Tinubu urging the enforcement of NASRDA’s regulatory duties in accordance with Sections 6 and 9 of the agency’s founding laws. This led to the approval of the ₦20 billion take-off fund.

“When I raised that memo stating that our space sector can no longer be unregulated, Mr. President graciously approved the take-off fund of ₦20 billion a few months ago,” Adepoju said. “This fund will allow us to begin regulating space activities and managing the spectrum in Nigeria. Although there are security concerns within the sector, if we do not take control, it will continue to be misused.”

Despite the approval, Adepoju clarified that the agency has yet to access the funds, as their release depends on availability. However, he assured that a platform for regulatory and licensing functions has already been set up.

He elaborated on the three key sectors of the space industry: upstream, midstream, and downstream.

“The upstream involves deep space activities, the midstream concerns space objects like satellites in orbit, and the downstream relates to ground stations and the utilization of space products and services,” he explained.

In all these areas, Adepoju emphasized the need for regulation to prevent exploitation of Nigerians. He stressed that proper licensing and guidelines, alongside monitoring Nigeria’s spectrum (which the agency has been authorized to manage since 2010), are essential.

The licensing platform is now available to both public and private sector operators, with a particular focus on satellite image providers, GIS operators, and satellite-based telecommunications and broadcasting services.

Adepoju emphasized the importance of strict oversight to prevent non-state actors from exploiting geographic data for illicit purposes.

The Director-General further highlighted that this initiative would enhance national security, drive economic diversification, and foster local content development. Additionally, it is expected to generate revenue in sectors like oil and gas, shipping, and telecommunications, all of which rely on space-based products and services.