FG Asks Space Agency To Address Nation’s Challenges Through Research

CHANNELS TV

Nigeria’s Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has appealed to the National Space Research and Development Agency to intensify research efforts that will address Nigeria’s peculiar challenges.

He made the appeal at the sixteenth Annual Space National Dialogue of the agency held in Abuja on Monday.

The Minister wants the agency to apply space science and technology to address Nigeria’s security and economic challenges.

He, however, appealed to the agency to make researches that would solve Nigeria’s peculiar challenges a priority.

The National Space Research and Development Agency was established in 1999 to pursue the development and application of space science and technology for economic benefits. How much of these objectives have been achieved is, however, debatable.

After enumerating the economic potentials of the sector, the Director General of the Agency, Professor Seidu Mohammed, said it was time to review how it has fared since inception.

The guest lecturer, Professor Ibidapo-Obe, said space science could help solve security challenges, including rescuing the abducted Chibok school girls

The National Space Center had in 2003 launched the first satellite, the Nigeria Sat-1 into space.
 four years later, another satellite, the NigComSat-1 was also launched.

Many, however, still argue that the effects of those efforts are yet to be felt.