FG partners US-based agency to send first Nigerian to space

The federal government and the Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) a global space agency based in the United States of America, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on human space flight missions.

The agreement, aimed at fostering the development of critical technologies and infrastructure, was signed in Abuja on Wednesday between the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) on behalf of the federal government and SERA.

The partnership between the two agencies will also see a Nigerian land in space for the first time.

Uche Nnaji, minister of innovation, science, and technology, said the partnership is important to transforming Nigeria’s space programme.

The minister said the partnership is a testament to Nigeria’s commitment to advancing its capabilities in space exploration, adding that the public-private partnership (PPP) with SERA would inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers.

On his part, Mathew Adepoju, director general of NASRDA, said SERA’s expertise and the agency’s dedication would yield remarkable milestones in human space exploration within the continent and beyond.

“This collaboration, which is coming to the country, marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s 25th anniversary of the space exploration journey and opens new opportunities for scientific research and technological advancement,” he said.

Joshua Skurla, the co-founder of SERA, said the agency is honoured to partner with NASRDA, noting that Nigeria has a rich history of scientific and technological innovation.

“Until now, space has been an exclusive domain, with over 80% of all astronauts to date coming from just three countries,” Skurla said.

“Nigeria has a rich history of scientific and technological innovation, and we are honoured to partner with NASRDA to extend this legacy into space and create new opportunities for Nigerian space explorers.”