Halilu Shaba, the Director-General of the agency, conveyed this information during the ongoing 8th Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Expo, which revolves around the theme “STI: Solutions to National Economic Challenges.” According to the agency’s 25-year roadmap, part of its targets was to launch a Nigerian astronaut in space and an indigenous satellite from Nigerian soil by 2025. Launching a satellite is capital-intensive, and the agency is not financially ready, Shaba said. However, efforts are being made to develop the necessary capacity for future endeavours. It is estimated that Nigeria’s space business is worth up to $1 billion. Last year, NASRDA said Nigeria could generate $20 million from launching a single satellite by developing its Assembly, Integration, and Testing Laboratory (AITL).
SOURCE: BUSINESS INSIDER
