NASRDA To Get N20bn From FG For Space Regulation
President Bola Tinubu has approved N20bn take-off fund for the National Space Research and Development Agency.
This was disclosed by the Director-General of NASRDA, Dr Matthew Adepoju.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Adepoju said the regulatory function of the agency, as encapsulated in the NASDRA Act, 2010, had remained unfulfilled since its establishment in 1999.
He said, “When I raised that memo stating that our space can no longer be unregulated, Mr President graciously approved the take-off fund of N20 billion a few months ago.
“This is to enable us to commence the space regulation and spectrum management in Nigeria.
“Although times and lots of activities happen that have security implications, if we don’t take charge of our space sector, it will continue to be misused.”
He said NASRDA is yet to access the N20bn.
Adepoju said, “Within the framework of what is possible for us to do now, we’ve set up the platform, and we are commencing our regulatory and licensing functions,” he told NAN.
He explained that the space sector had three segments: the upstream, midstream, and downstream.
“We have the upstream, which is deep space, and the midstream, which is in between the space objects, such as satellites and the planet Earth.
“We have the downstream, which has to do with ground stations, activities, and people who are utilising space products and services.
“In between these three sectors, activities must be regulated; otherwise, Nigerians will be shortchanged.
“People have to be licensed and issued guidelines; the spectrum within Nigeria has to be monitored; and the agency has been granted this power since 2010, which has many benefits.”
NASRDA To Get N20bn From FG For Space Regulation is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
