Nigeria’s $2 billion satellite procurement reaches 95% completion

We have Synthetic Aperture Radar to be launched at one-metre and sub-metre resolution, then communication satellites, which come as 2A and 2B.”

He said the procurement exercise was approaching its final stage, together with official agreements including worldwide technology partners expected to observe.

“Now, there is a procurement procedure which we are at 95 per cent rank now. The broader satellite programme furthermore involves China Excellent Wall Advertise Corporation, according to NAN.

The two communications satellites are intended to supplant and broaden capacity beyond NIGCOMSAT-1R, which was launched in December 2011 including an expected current lifespan of on 15 years.

On September 25, Nairametrics reported that NIGCOMSAT rejected allegations of wrongdoing surrounding the procurement of NIGCOMSAT-2A and NIGCOMSAT-2B, saying the analyze complied using the Audience Procurement Act and Bureau of Society Procurement guidelines.

NIGCOMSAT said bidders were evaluated across practical, financial, delivery, security and project-danger criteria.

The satellite investments are additionally unfolding alongside Nigeria’s renewed Digital Change-Over programme, under which the Federal Government nationally launched the FreeTV platform in June.

The government and broadcasting sector have adopted a hybrid delivery model combining computerized terrestrial television, steer-to-home satellite services and virtual application-based platforms to distribute television duplicate by path of a lot of channels.

Nigeria’s procurement procedure for six fresh satellites under a programme estimated at $2 billion has reached 95% completion, moving the country closer to signing contracts together with foreign engineering partners for the manufacture and deployment of the space assets.

Prof. Matthew Adepoju, Director-Whole of the Countrywide Space Analysis and Development Agency (NASRDA), disclosed this on Friday, October 2, during an interview including the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Adepoju said the Bola Tinubu administration had approved six satellites as component of efforts to modernise Nigeria’s space infrastructure and supplant ageing assets supporting the country’s communications and Earth-observation capabilities.

Six-satellite procurement hits 95%

Adepoju said the Earth-observation portion would provide Nigeria together with elevated-resolution imaging capabilities, although the two communications satellites would strengthen the country’s satellite communications infrastructure.

“We have three optical satellites to be launched at sub-metre resolution. Highly before lengthy, at the African Space Economic Conference coming up in November, we will be signing an MoU and contractual agreement using our foreign specialized partners.”

The programme too includes plans for a fresh Assembly, Integration and Testing Laboratory, which NASRDA expects to use for the nearby assembly, integration and testing of prospective satellites.

According to Adepoju, the facility is expected to transfer from contract signing to commissioning during 18 months and create section of Nigeria’s push to assemble further satellite-development capacity locally.

He added that the government was tightening supervision of activities during Nigeria’s space ecosystem, notably in space oversight and spectrum administration, to confirm that domestic and foreign operators comply together with domestic requirements.

Nigeria accelerates space infrastructure plans

The current procurement milestone follows a collection of government decisions this year aimed at expanding Nigeria’s satellite infrastructure and strengthening oversight of the space sector.

In August, the Federal Executive Council approved the acquisition and deployment of NIGCOMSAT-2A and NIGCOMSAT-2B, moving the projects towards contract finalisation, technological planning, manufacture and deployment.

The two subsequent-generation high-throughput communications satellites are expected to increase broadband arrive at, strengthen important communications and expand connectivity to areas where terrestrial infrastructure remains restricted.

In March, Tinubu directed the quick release of already approved resources for maintaining Nigeria’s most recent space assets during the opening meeting of the Nationwide Space Council at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The measures relate the acquisition of recent satellites using the government’s broader task to maintain available space assets, improve oversight and change Nigeria’s space infrastructure over the longer term.

Foreign firms eye satellite contracts

The communications section of the programme will entail primary worldwide aerospace companies, using NIGCOMSAT-2A and NIGCOMSAT-2B expected to be delivered across Israel Aerospace Industries and France-based Thales Alenia Space.