Satellites don’t usually make headlines in Africa until they fail or get launched abroad. But last week in Abuja, two African agencies sat across the table, asking what they could build for themselves.
The Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Ltd and the Kenyan Space Agency (KSA) have opened talks on a potential partnership in satellite services. Kenya plans to source satellite services from Nigeria rather than non-African providers, to see how Nigeria’s satellite capabilities could support its growing space ambitions.
The timing could not be better. These talks come at a time when Nigeria’s satellite, NigComSat-1R, nears the end of its lifespan. Launched in 2011 to operate for over 15 years, the replacement for the ageing infrastructure has been pushed three years later than initially planned. Although satellites don’t just stop working when they reach the end of their lifespan, reliability declines as fuel reserves dwindle, solar panels and electronics degrade, and backup systems are exhausted.
Still, Nigeria has space ambitions. In August, the country signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Brazil to deepen cooperation in space technology through climate monitoring, national security, and space vehicle development. In May, the nation announced plans to launch four new satellites to boost surveillance and tackle rising insecurity. Nigeria has been signing deals and taking up projects, signalling its appetite for a bigger role in space.
This Nigeria-Kenya deal could birth something different. This deal could mean that Kenyan businesses and households could access cheaper satellite broadband without solely relying on European or Asian providers. Both countries can improve satellite resilience and give their citizens a stronger stake in the digital future. Both countries want to establish sovereignty in a sector that has seen the continent being left out too often.
