The Development of Space Capacities and Capabilities in Nigeria

Nigeria has increasingly developed capacities and capabilities to match its policy and strategic interests in space. In the last three decades, the federal government of Nigeria has established African first dedicated agencies for civil and military space programmes, fully state-owned corporations for commercialisation of space, and numerous centres for space research and development. In addition, few private and non-governmental organisations with exclusive or inclusive interests in space have emerged in Nigeria. These institutions have played major roles in the development and mobilisation of financial, human and material resources behind space access and assets, which are key to the operationalisation of Nigeria’s space policy and strategy. To better understand the gap between space policy desires and achievements of Nigeria, this chapter provides an overview of the formation, locations, functions, finances, human and material resources and mobilisation of various governmental, non-governmental and private institutions that are involved in civil, commercial and military space programmes, as well as space advocacies and popularisation, and the resultant space access and assets of the country.