Last week, in this column, I postponed the continuation of this article and paid special tributes to my aunt, two cousins, and a colleague who passed away on different days and in different locations in April 2026. May Allah forgive their shortcomings and admit them into Aljanna Firdausi. Amen.
April 2026 was historic, as some of us counted the losses of loved ones, while others might have counted gains and aspirations, including those of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the USA, among the gainers. NASA, the only known space agency to first take humans to the moon in 1969 through the Apollo Project, repeated the feat in 2026 with the Artemis II mission, from April 1, when it was launched, to April 10, when the spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after completing the moon mission. In the Apollo program, Apollo 11 reached the Moon in the late 1960s. Apollo 11 traveled a distance of 384,000 kilometers in 76 hours (about 5,000 km/hr), carrying three American astronauts: Armstrong, Aldrin, and Michael Collins, before it entered lunar orbit. One can imagine the thoughts of the families and friends of the brave astronauts who risked their lives to be the first human beings on the lunar surface at that early time.
NASA’s sustained efforts for six decades have not been hitch-free or without challenges. After the Apollo program, the Challenger was the second space shuttle to achieve early success, spending 62 days, 7 hours, 56 minutes, and 22 seconds in space. The number of days per mission ranged from 5 to 8 between 1983 and 1985, and each mission carried several people into space. That series of events, accomplished during the nine missions of Challenger, made the world almost accustomed to space missions as a common phenomenon, and suddenly, the Challenger disaster occurred. It was devastating, tragic, and a major catastrophe in NASA’s history. All the people on board perished. What a calamitous human tragedy, may never happen again.
ALSO READ Artemis II: Space exploration, and the question of African future, By Prof. M. K. Othman
Space technology, as practiced by developed countries, raises a critical question for Africa: As the world pursues ambitious initiatives like Artemis II, is Africa positioning itself to leverage space exploration for transformative development? Are we building local capacity and harnessing the technological, educational, and economic benefits these projects generate, or are we remaining on the sidelines, missing out on opportunities that could reshape our future? These are questions I posed in the first part of this piece.
At this point, however, an urgent and unavoidable contrast confronts us, particularly from an African perspective. While advanced nations aggressively pursue ambitious space missions and pour vast resources into future-oriented technologies, many African countries are still struggling to address urgent development challenges affecting millions daily. Access to potable water remains scarce for some, healthcare systems are stretched to breaking point, and educational institutions grapple with dangerously inadequate funding. In many regions, poor road networks and unreliable electricity cripple economic progress and deepen cycles of poverty. Without swift, decisive action and coordinated intervention, these conditions will only grow worse, making the need for change absolutely critical.
The situation grows even more urgent due to persistent security crises that threaten stability and progress. On Saturday, 25 April 2026, reports from Bamako delivered shocking news of coordinated terrorist and rebel attacks that left civilians dead and vital government institutions temporarily overrun. These are not isolated events; they are warning signals of a wider regional crisis that weakens governance, erodes state capacity, and shatters public trust. The contrast is jarring: humanity achieves incredible feats, such as sending astronauts around the Moon, yet in some regions cannot guarantee basic safety for its citizens. This is a stark and immediate human tragedy demanding relentless attention.
These realities force a sharper focus on Africa’s position in the global scientific and technological landscape. How many African countries operate functional satellites or have sustained, well-funded space programs that align with national development priorities? While nations such as Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt have made important progress, overall participation is limited. The core issue is not prestige—space technology directly addresses Africa’s pressing needs: communication, weather forecasting, agriculture, environmental monitoring, and security.
It is dangerously simplistic to blame this gap solely on financial constraints. While funding is a serious hurdle, issues of political will, policy determination, institutional strength, and strategic focus are just as urgent. Space programs require unwavering, immediate investment, along with a clear understanding of their relevance to national priorities. Without these, even the best-intentioned initiatives will fail. An integrated, immediate approach is needed—one that recognizes science and technology as central, not optional, to Africa’s development.
Africa’s challenge, then, is not to choose between addressing immediate socio-economic needs and investing in future capabilities, but to pursue both in a complementary, mutually reinforcing way. Science, technology, and innovation can be powerful enablers of development by improving governance systems, enhancing security through better surveillance and intelligence gathering, and creating new economic opportunities that can drive inclusive growth. When appropriately adapted, technologies developed through space exploration can help address some of the continent’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, food security, and disaster management.
Universities and higher institutions are at the frontline of this urgent transformation. There must be rapid strengthening of STEM programs and a forceful push for interdisciplinary research that links space science to tangible solutions. Urgent collaboration with international partners, regional bodies, and private players can accelerate knowledge transfer and build capacity now. Governments must swiftly create environments that fuel innovation, ensure policy stability, and guarantee transparent stewardship of resources.
Ultimately, Ultimately, the story of Artemis II is about possibility and perspective, showing what can be achieved when vision is supported by commitment, when curiosity is matched by investment, and when leadership is guided by long-term thinking. For Africa, it offers both inspiration and a challenge—a call to reflect, recalibrate priorities, and embrace innovation not as a luxury but as a necessity. To advance, African leaders and policymakers must deliberately invest in science and technology, address energy and infrastructure deficits, combat corruption, and create opportunities for innovation. Universities, businesses, and governments should collaborate to nurture local talent and align space technologies with national needs. While the Moon may seem distant, the journey there teaches us that progress depends on bold vision turned into tangible action. Africa needs determined, visionary leaders to champion development and inspire a technological revolution. May God bring out such leaders who will erase the negative African narratives, amen.
