President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate release of approved funds for the maintenance of Nigeria’s space assets, signaling a renewed commitment to the nation’s 25-year roadmap for space development.
The President gave the directive during the maiden meeting of the National Space Council held yesterday, March 3, 2026, at the Presidential Villa. Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria will no longer be a spectator in the global space economy, which is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2040.
“Nigeria will not watch the new frontier unfold from the sidelines,” the President stated. “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 researcher in the laboratory, and the policymaker who must plan with evidence rather than guesswork.”
As part of the strategic push to modernize Nigeria’s space capabilities, the President approved that the implementation costs for the revised 25-year National Space Policy roadmap be forwarded to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for final consideration and approval.
Directives from the meeting include:
- Immediate funding for the upkeep of existing space assets to ensure operational readiness and data integrity.
- Integration of space technology to enhance border security, provide early warning systems for floods and fires, and support precision agriculture and the digital economy.
- A directive to the Nigerian Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) to strictly enforce space regulations and spectrum management frameworks. All MDAs and private sector stakeholders are mandated to comply with these regulations.
- Approval of new “Conditions of Service and Staff Regulation” for NASRDA to provide competitive remuneration, aimed at curbing brain drain and retaining top-tier Nigerian experts within the local ecosystem.
- The Council approved the operationalization of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Space Centre in Epe, which is designed to provide Nigeria with the autonomous capacity to launch and maintain satellites, reducing reliance on foreign expertise.
President Tinubu reaffirmed that under the “Renewed Hope” agenda, his administration remains steadfast in providing the resources necessary to transform space technology into a stimulus for technological advancement and economic diversification.
The Federal Ministry of Finance has been instructed to ensure the timely disbursement of all funds allocated for these purposes to maintain the momentum of the national space programme.
