Tinubu Approves Four New Satellites as FG Begins Procurement Process

President Bola Tinubu has approved the acquisition of four additional satellites as the Federal Government moves to strengthen Nigeria’s space technology capabilities and expand its participation in the growing African space economy.

The procurement process for the new satellites has commenced following approval by the President and the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The project is expected to improve Nigeria’s capacity to provide satellite-based services while creating opportunities for partnerships with other African countries and international organisations.

Politics Nigeria reports that the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press conference in Abuja.

He was speaking ahead of the 2026 African Space Economy, Innovation and Communication Conference (ASEICC), scheduled to hold from November 24 to 27.

The conference will be organised by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) and is expected to bring together representatives of African space agencies, international partners and other stakeholders in the space technology industry.

Udeh explained that the government had moved beyond the approval stage and was already taking steps towards selecting companies that would handle the satellite project.

According to him, an international competitive bidding exercise has been conducted, attracting proposals from satellite manufacturing companies in China, Israel, Europe, the United States and Nigeria.

He disclosed that the procurement process had reached the stage of recommending successful bidders after the evaluation of submissions from interested companies.

Officials from the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, NASRDA and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) also visited facilities belonging to some of the companies involved in the bidding process.

The inspections were conducted to verify the technical capacity, infrastructure and other claims presented by the manufacturers during the procurement exercise.

Udeh said the next stage would involve obtaining the necessary government approvals before the contracts could be awarded.

“The next stage is approval to award the contracts, which will also require Federal Executive Council approval because substantial funding is involved,” he said.

The minister explained that the four satellites would not only serve Nigeria but could also provide services to other African countries interested in accessing their capabilities.

He said the arrangement would create opportunities for regional cooperation and allow Nigeria to generate revenue through the provision of satellite services beyond its borders.

Udeh noted that the forthcoming ASEICC 2026 would provide an important platform for discussions on the project and other developments within the continent’s space sector.

He said African countries needed to reconsider their approach to space technology by moving away from excessive dependence on foreign manufacturers.

According to the minister, the continent must begin investing more deliberately in local expertise, research and industrial capacity to enable African countries to design and manufacture their own satellites.

He maintained that developing indigenous capabilities would help reduce dependence on external technology providers and create opportunities for African engineers, scientists and technology companies.

Udeh placed the value of Africa’s space economy at more than $25 billion, with an annual growth rate of 7.97 per cent.

He described the sector as an important area of economic development with considerable opportunities for investment, innovation and job creation.

He explained that the continent could benefit more from the industry if individual countries worked together rather than pursuing separate programmes without considering the advantages of regional cooperation.

The minister also discussed the progress made in implementing recommendations from previous editions of the African Space Economy, Innovation and Communication Conference.

He said the previous engagements had encouraged African governments to view their national space programmes as interconnected systems rather than independent projects.

According to him, cooperation between countries would allow them to share resources, exchange technical knowledge and develop services that could benefit the entire continent.

He described the conference as a platform where participating countries review their achievements, discuss challenges and assess progress towards previously established objectives.

Udeh clarified that the gathering was not designed to compel countries to follow particular decisions.

Instead, it provides an opportunity for participating governments and space agencies to learn from one another and identify areas where collective action could produce better results.

One of the major recommendations from an earlier conference was for Nigeria to establish its own satellite launch facility.

The minister disclosed that the government had made progress towards achieving the objective, with the Lagos State Government allocating land in Epe for the development of a satellite propulsion and transportation facility.

The proposed facility is expected to support Nigeria’s long-term ambition of developing the infrastructure required to participate more actively in satellite manufacturing and launch operations.

Udeh said the development demonstrated that the government was taking practical steps to implement recommendations made during previous engagements rather than allowing them to remain proposals.

“This shows that we are not just making recommendations and proposals. We are taking practical steps towards manufacturing satellites and launching them from Nigeria,” he said.

The minister also highlighted the growing participation of African and international space agencies in the forthcoming conference.

He said the presence of chief executives of space agencies from different countries reflected increasing interest in the platform and recognition of the progress being made through previous engagements.