Nigeria is on the verge of making history as it plans to send its first citizen into space. The Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Mathew Adepoju, confirmed the news at a press conference in Abuja, highlighting a partnership with the Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA). This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s space exploration journey, celebrating its 25th anniversary, and opening new avenues for scientific research and technological advancement.
The partnership with SERA, which has a tie-up with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, will see SERA fund a seat on a Blue Origin flight. This initiative is part of a broader effort by Blue Origin to send individuals from underrepresented nations into space, exemplified by the successful launch of Brazilian engineer Victor Hespanha in 2022.
The selection process for Nigeria’s first astronaut will be decided through public online voting, as announced by SERA co-founders Sam Hutchison and Joshua Skurla. To be eligible, candidates must be healthy adult residents of Nigeria with basic English language skills. The voting system will leverage blockchain technology to ensure fairness and transparency in the selection process.
Nigeria has been actively involved in space exploration since 1999 when it established NASRDA and has launched five satellites since 2003, three of which remain operational and provide essential services. The latest satellite, NigeriaSat-X, was designed and built by NASRDA engineers. This initiative fulfills a promise made by the former Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, in 2016 to send a Nigerian astronaut into space by 2030.
The mission is expected to inspire other African nations to pursue space exploration, showcasing Nigeria’s commitment to scientific advancement. Nigeria has a history of sharing space assets, providing satellite imagery to Mali and supporting the establishment of an African Space Agency. This ambitious venture solidifies Nigeria’s position as a leader in space exploration in Africa and beyond.
