The Federal Government has begun procurement processes for four additional satellites approved by President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, said this on Wednesday at a news conference in Abuja on the forthcoming African Space Economy, Innovation and Communication Conference (ASEICC 2026).
The conference, scheduled for Nov. 24 to 27, will be hosted by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).
Udeh said the procurement process had reached the stage of recommending successful bidders after an international competitive bidding exercise involving companies from China, Israel, Europe, the United States and Nigeria.
He said officials from the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, NASRDA and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) had also inspected some manufacturers’ facilities to verify their claims before making recommendations.
“The next stage is approval to award the contracts, which will also require Federal Executive Council approval because substantial funding is involved,” he said.
Udeh said ASEICC 2026 would give African countries and international partners an opportunity to explore collaborations and discuss the potential benefits of the proposed satellites.
He said the satellites would serve Nigeria and other African countries interested in accessing their services, creating opportunities for partnerships and revenue generation.
The minister said the conference would also challenge African countries to move beyond contracting foreign companies to manufacture satellites and start developing local capacity to design and build them on the continent.
He valued Africa’s space economy at more than $25 billion, with an annual growth rate of 7.97 per cent, describing it as one of the continent’s fastest-growing industries.
Asked about implementing recommendations from the previous conference and expectations for this year’s event, Udeh said the platform had encouraged African countries to view their individual space programmes as interconnected ecosystems capable of generating mutual benefits through collaboration.
He described the conference as a peer-review platform where countries assess their progress, share experiences and encourage one another to meet agreed targets, rather than a mechanism for enforcing compliance.
Udeh said a key recommendation from the previous conference was for Nigeria to establish its own satellite launch facility.
He said progress had been made, including the Lagos State Government’s allocation of land in Epe for a satellite propulsion and transportation facility.
“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.
Udeh added that the participation of chief executives of space agencies from Africa and beyond reflected growing interest in the conference and the achievements of previous engagements.
