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Under Utilisation Of Nigeria’s Satellite In Orbit

The fallout of the Federal Government’s failure to build on the progress made in the country’s space project since 2011 came to the fore on May 5, 2021 when the Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA, Halilu Shaba, said in Abuja that inadequate satellite coverage hinders monitoring of bandits, terrorists and other criminals.

Subsequently, on December 19, 2011, NigComSat-1R, paid for with the insurance policy on the de-orbited NigComSat-1 according to former President Goodluck Jonathan, was successfully launched into orbit by China in Xichang. The satellite was designed to function in the areas of communications, internet services, health, agriculture, environmental protection and national security before completing its 15-year lifespan.

It was also hoped that other businesses such as digital mobile operators and telecommunication companies that need satellite services would patronise the NigComSat-1R. But unfortunately, many of those businesses, and even government agencies like the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, have shunned the satellite, occasioning acute low patronage. Experts say that our satellite is lying almost idle in space waiting to die by 2026.
In its efforts to switch over from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting, the NBC decided to patronise Eutelsat for the multi-million dollar digital migration, instead of using NigComSat-1R. The explanation given by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, was that the NigComSat-1R has no backup. But former Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, had promised that the Federal Government would purchase two additional satellites for NIGCOMSAT at the cost of $550 million.

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It is sad that for almost 10 years after the launch of NigComSat-1R, Nigeria has chosen to patronise other countries’ satellites instead of launching the needed backup. Now, the country needs the satellite to combat terrorism. Andrew Oginni, a US-based Nigerian expert, says NigComSat-1R remains a critical national asset which government can leverage for ICT growth. It can also help deepen broadband penetration in Nigeria and entire Africa, if properly utilised.
Source: vanguard

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