Nigeria, India sign MoU on space cooperation

Nigeria has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with India on a cooperation in outer space.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Indian ministry of external affairs in New Delhi on Thursday.

“The MoU between India and Nigeria on ‘Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes’ was concluded on August 13, 2020,” the statement read.

The signing ceremony held virtually and had in attendance Ogbonnaya Onu, minister of science and technology, and Francis Chizea, director-general, National Space Research and Development Agency.

Shri Abhay Thakur, high commissioner of India to Nigeria; Shri Muraleedharan, India’s minister of state for external affairs, and other dignitaries from India were also present at the event.

Commenting on the development, Muraleedharan said the agreement would further partnership between the two countries on space research and development.

“The MoU that will be signed today (Thursday) will further expand India-Nigeria collaboration in space science, joint space research and development (R&D), and capacity-building assistance by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),” he was quoted to have said.

“Cooperation in remote-sensing, communications and navigation will benefit Nigeria in the fields of forestry, environment, agriculture, mining, watershed-development and connectivity.

“Nigeria is India’s largest trading partner in Africa. India is also Nigeria’s largest trading partner globally.

“Our bilateral trade turnover in the last financial year 2019-2020 was $13.8 billion, the same level as the year 2018-2019. 10 percent of India’s energy needs are also met by Nigeria.

“It is a matter of satisfaction that our trade has remained steady, despite COVID-19 challenges, and it reflects the resilience of our mutually-beneficial economic linkages.

“Cumulative Indian and Indian-origin/owned investment in Nigeria is $19.3 billion, and Indian/Indian-origin companies are among the largest employers in Nigeria.”

According to the statement, both countries also agreed to sign a subsidiary MoU between New Space India Limited (NSIL), under ISRO, and Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), on cooperation involving the use of geospatial technologies.