The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) is poised to begin enforcing its long-awaited space regulation and licensing mandate, backed by a N20 billion take-off fund approved by President Bola Tinubu.
This announcement was made by NASRDA Director-General, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, in an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
Dr. Adepoju emphasized that the regulatory function, enshrined in the NASRDA Act (2010), has remained dormant since the agency’s establishment in 1999. The upcoming NASRDA stakeholders’ workshop on space regulation, scheduled for April 8th, underscores the urgency and importance of this initiative.
“When I raised that memo stating that our space can no longer be unregulated, Mr. President graciously approved the take-off fund of N20 billion a few months ago. This is to enable us to commence the space regulation and spectrum management in Nigeria.” Dr. Adepoju stated.
While NASRDA is yet to access the approved funds, pending availability, Dr. Adepoju confirmed that the groundwork for implementation is already underway. “Within the framework of what is possible for us to do now, we’ve set up the platform, and we are commencing our regulatory and licensing functions,” he told NAN.
The Director-General highlighted the multifaceted nature of the space sector, categorizing it into upstream (deep space), midstream (satellite activity), and downstream (ground stations and space product users) segments. He stressed the necessity of regulating activities across these segments to protect Nigerian interests and ensure fair practices.
“We have the upstream, which is deep space; the midstream, which is in between the space objects, such as satellites and the planet Earth;. We have the downstream, which has to do with ground stations, activities, and people who are utilising space products and services. In between these three sectors, there are activities that must be regulated; otherwise, Nigerians will be short-changed.” Dr. Adepoju explained.
He further elaborated on the crucial role of licensing and adherence to established guidelines, particularly concerning spectrum management. “People have to be licensed and issued guidelines, the spectrum within Nigeria has to be monitored, and the agency has been granted this power since 2010, and this has lots of benefits.”
NASRDA confirmed that the licensing platform is now operational, welcoming applications from both public and private sector entities operating within the space domain. Licensing will extend to providers and users of space-related products and services, including satellite image providers, geographic information system operators, and satellite-based telecommunication and broadcasting services.
Dr. Adepoju cautioned against the potential exploitation of unregulated geographical data intelligence by non-state actors for illicit purposes, underscoring the critical link between space regulation and national security.
Furthermore, the Director-General emphasized that this regulatory initiative is expected to contribute significantly to national security, economic diversification, and local content development. He projected increased revenue generation from key sectors such as oil and gas, shipping, and telecommunications, all of which rely heavily on space-derived products and services.
