The National Space Research and Development Agency is set to begin implementing its regulatory and licensing functions with a N20 billion take-off fund approved by President Bola Tinubu.
Dr. Matthew Adepoju, the Director-General of NASRDA, revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday.
He stated that although the agency had been empowered to regulate the space sector under the NASRDA Act of 2010, it had yet to fulfill this mandate since its establishment in 1999.
“When I raised that memo stating that our space can no longer be unregulated, Mr. President graciously approved the take-off fund of N20 billion a few months ago,” Adepoju said.
He explained that the funding would enable NASRDA to commence its oversight of space regulation and spectrum management in Nigeria, ensuring that the sector is no longer misused. However, he noted that the agency had not yet accessed the funds, as their release would depend on availability.
Despite this, NASRDA has begun preparations to enforce regulations. “Within the framework of what is possible for us to do now, we’ve set up the platform, and we are commencing our regulatory and licensing functions,” Adepoju said.
He emphasized the need for oversight in different segments of the space sector, which includes the upstream (deep space), midstream (space objects like satellites), and downstream (ground stations and users of space products and services).
“In between these three sectors, activities must be regulated; otherwise, Nigerians will be short-changed,” he stated. “People have to be licensed and issued guidelines, and the spectrum within Nigeria has to be monitored.”
Adepoju further noted that licensing would apply to both public and private sector operators who use or provide space-based services such as satellite imagery, geographic information systems, telecommunications, and broadcasting.
“There must be strict oversight of satellite image providers, GIS operators, and satellite-based telecommunication services to prevent misuse,” he added. He warned that if unregulated, geographical data intelligence could be exploited by non-state actors for illicit activities.
The NASRDA DG highlighted that enforcing regulations in the space sector would enhance national security, boost economic diversification, and promote local content development.
He also pointed out that key industries such as oil and gas, shipping, and telecommunications rely on space technology, making proper oversight crucial.
