Nigeria Keywords:, space program of Nigeria

Over the past decade, the developing countries of the world, including those in Africa, have been increasingly actively and consistently seeking to participate in international space activities.

Nigeria , one of the most developed countries in West Africa (see Table 1), has also launched its own space program since 1998. What are its capabilities and achievements?

SPACE ACTIVITIES: REGULATION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

In 1976, Nigeria declared its space ambitions to members of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) at an intergovernmental summit in Addis Ababa.

In May 1999, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) was established under the auspices of the Ministry of Science and Technology; the National Council for Space Science and Technology operates, as well as the Nigerian Space Center (NSC), the first in Africa to have a ground control station, a communications satellite network operations center, and a planetarium.

NASRDA aims to implement "fundamental policies for the development of space research and technology"¹. In practice, this means that it is necessary and possible (with an initial budget of $93 million ²) to promote sustainable economic, technical and technological development of Nigeria by designing and creating new modern equipment, technologies and software, and improving the skills of national personnel, including in the future - scientific ones.

The national space program, which began development in the country in July 2001 and was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Nigeria on 10 May 2006, is designed for 25 years.³

The main task of the national space program is the development and creation of domestic satellites (primarily communications and remote sensing of the Earth) and related ground-based equipment. The main areas or projects of the national space program that are most important for the country are identified: agriculture and food security, health, education, geology and geodesy, regional planning, energy and the environment (see Table 2).

Thus, the Nigerian space program is aimed at developing rocket and satellite technologies for remote sensing of the Earth (primarily research of natural resources, weather conditions, for solving practical problems of agriculture and forestry, detection of natural disasters in remote areas of the country - fires, floods, etc.), as well as communication satellites. This program has both military and commercial aspects, i.e. it is designed to develop relevant domestic private and state structures and is intended for a very wide range of users, including industrial enterprises, agriculture, government and scientific institutions.

The article was prepared with the financial support of the Russian State Scientific Foundation, project No. 11-02-00273a.

Table 1

Key socio-economic indicators of West African countries, 2010

Compiled and calculated by: UNCTAD Handbook of Statistics, 2011 - http://unctad.org/en/Pages/Statistics.aspx

In the longer term, it is planned to fly a Nigerian cosmonaut trained in one of the "space" countries into space.

To implement the space program, NASRDA is expected to cooperate with national universities, private enterprises, and international governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Nigeria's space program and the emergence of space technologies in the country have already contributed to the development of national legislation in this area. A number of Nigerian laws are directly related to space activities, while others regulate them indirectly.⁴ In particular, the provisions of the Nigerian Insurance Act (²⁰⁰³⁾ directly relate to tangible assets such as satellites, the risks of which must be insured by Nigerian (and not foreign) insurers5.

The Copyright Law (1990) and the National Geographic Information Policy (2003) document protect intellectual property, including in the field of space activities. It can be expected that in the future, Nigeria will also promulgate other legislative acts necessary for its use in international space activities (in particular, signing, ratifying and/or joining international space law agreements).

This is all the more important because today Nigeria is already a party to a number of international agreements and conventions - the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (1967), the Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and Objects Launched into Outer Space (1967), the

Table 2

Main projects of the National space program of Nigeria and their tasks

Compiled by the author of: Nigeria's Space Program - http://www.nasrda.org/space_program.php

on international liability for Damage caused by Space objects (1972), etc.

Nigeria actively participates in the activities of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. In 2005, the United Nations, together with the Government of Nigeria, through its National Agency for Space Research and Development, organized a Workshop on Space Law in Abuja. The main objectives of the Workshop were to increase knowledge, develop capacity in space law at the national and international levels, and promote space law education in the region6.

In 2009, Algeria, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa signed a cooperation agreement on the use of satellites in the African Resource Management Satellite (ARMS) Constellation program. At the same time, Nigeria is not yet a member of the African Organization of Cartography and Remote Sensing, which was ratified by 24 ^{African countries7} in 1988.

Table 3

Key features of the NigeriaSat-2 spacecraft

Source: http://www.sovzond.ru/satellites/187275/187282.html

FIRST STEPS AND PROSPECTS

The first national satellite - NigeriaSat-1-became an element of the international Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC)⁸. It was built in the UK (with the participation of African scientists) and launched into orbit in September 2003 using a Russian Kosmos-3M rocket from the Plisetsk cosmodrome for remote sensing purposes, as Nigeria informed the UN ⁹. A cooperation agreement on this project with the English company Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. was signed in 2000.

Nigeria has already implemented a number of projects using NigeriaSat-1 data related to the monitoring of desertification in the northern region, soil erosion, including appropriate mapping, observation of the south-eastern part of the country, forests, mapping of the south-western part and coastal erosion.

Since 2003, 5 satellites have been launched for Nigeria. Three of them were launched in 2011: the small optical remote sensing satellites NigeriaSat- and NigeriaSat-X (manufactured by the British company Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. and launched on August 17, 2011 by the Russian carrier rocket Dnepr from the Yasny launch base in the Orenburg region) and the communication satellite NigComSat-1R (Chinese-built, launched on December 19, 2011 by a Chinese CZ-3B/E launch vehicle). They became a continuation of the NigeriaSat series.

It should be noted that NigeriaSat-X is a second-generation satellite, while NigeriaSat-2 belongs to the third generation of DMC satellites. Its main characteristics are presented in table 3.

Nigeria remembers that the world's first telephone conversation via satellite took place in 1963 - between Nigerian Prime Minister Abubakar Tafewa Balewa and American President John F. Kennedy. After 44 years, this country has its own satellite connection.

Nigeria's first communications satellite, NigComSat-1, built in China, was launched in China on May 14, 2007 and marked the beginning of work on the NigComSat series-building communications and communications satellites. Despite the fact that the satellite failed in orbit a year later, the launch was considered a significant achievement in the economic and technological sphere not only in Nigeria, but also in Africa as a whole.It is interesting to note that the funding for the development of this satellite was carried out not only by Nigeria. Some African countries were interested in becoming partners in this project-not only at the public, but also at the private level. Thus, the Sudanese private enterprise Elrasid Electronic Trading and Investment Ltd. about $250 million was invested in the project ¹¹.

The development of space activities in Nigeria in retrospect is shown in the figure.

Figure 1. Space activities in Nigeria, 1999-2011

Source: compiled by the author.

But there are also prospects. Minister of Science and Technology of Nigeria Prof. Ita Eva, speaking in Abuja, announced his intention to launch three satellites by 2015 and send the first Nigerian astronaut into orbit in 2015. The launch of the military remote sensing satellite NigeriaSAR-1 is also planned for 2015. Nigeria expects to start manufacturing satellites in 2018 and launch rocket engines in 2025. In 2028, it is planned to carry out an independent launch of a Nigerian satellite into space.¹² It should be noted that budget funding for space projects in Nigeria is still low, amounting to $11 million in 2011 (compared to $200 million in Algeria) ^.13

NIGCOMSAT Ltd., established in April 2004, is the company that practically engages in space activities in Nigeria. Today, its staff consists of more than 300 highly qualified specialists.¹⁴

The African regional training center for Space science and technology is located in Nigeria. A number of workshops and training courses were held on space technologies and their applications, in particular on remote sensing and geographic information systems.

In November 2009, Nigeria hosted the third Africa Regional Conference of the International Academy of Astronautics on "Space in Africa: Shared participation and knowledge sharing". It was attended by 250 people from 15 countries. In December 2009, Nigeria supported the Third African Conference of Space Science and Technology Leaders, held in Algeria.

At the space conference held in Abuja in December 2011, it was noted that space activities are already bringing tangible results to the country, in particular, they contribute to GDP growth, reduce tariffs for mobile telephone communications and satellite television, and promote the development of e-commerce, e-management, e-banking and telemedicine. The number of Internet users in the country is growing ¹⁵.

Nigeria also participates in pan-African space cooperation projects. To ensure that space technology is continuously used for sustainable development, Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria and Kenya signed an agreement in 2009 on the use of satellite resources within the framework of the African Satellite Project. I would like to mention Nigeria's participation in the African Regional Navigation Satellite System (AFRF) as a component of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) system. Nigeria operates 15 continuously operating navigation stations that are part of the AFRF network. This will enable African States to benefit from the global navigation communications system.

Nigeria also cooperates in

Map. GPS stations in Nigeria (December 2011).

Источник: http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/sap/2011/un-gnss/28.pdf

international space activities. It is a member of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, represented by its two entities, the National Space Research and Development Agency and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, and is a member of the International Astronautical Federation. Participates in the work of the International Organization for Communications via Artificial Earth Satellites (INTELSAT). A number of Nigerian citizens are members of the International Astronautical Academy.

Nigeria cooperates in the field of space activities with the EU countries, the United States and China. In addition to launching and creating satellites, we are also talking about training personnel. For example, in 2011, seven Nigerian engineers were trained at the University of Alabama (USA), and 15 engineers are currently working with Chinese specialists in rocket technology. ¹⁶

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPACE COOPERATION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND NIGERIA

Algeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Angola are interested in cooperation with Russia in such areas as satellite communications and navigation, and remote sensing of the Earth from space. With some of these countries, Russia has intergovernmental agreements on cooperation in the field of outer space.¹⁷

As noted above, three Nigerian satellites were launched using Russian launch vehicles in 2003 and 2011.

We will highlight the main areas in which it is possible to develop partnership relations with Nigeria:

a) Collection, processing and analysis of data related to plant and water resources, natural resources (primarily hydrocarbons), and fisheries using special Earth observation satellites, which will not only expand knowledge about these resources, but also rationalize their use.

b) Use space-based surveillance capabilities to improve the accuracy of assessment, monitoring and control in relation to land-use planning and disaster management. It is essential for Nigeria to help prevent and mitigate landslides, forest fires, locust infestations, floods, droughts and land desertification.

c) Determining the position on the ground using the Global Positioning System (GPS) for navigation, orientation and national security purposes. It should be noted here that as of December 2011, according to the UN, 4 GPS stations were already operating in Nigeria (see map), but there is a need to create stations in other regions of the country.

d) Space telecommunications provides for the creation of systems for providing access to satellite telecommunications services, in particular, fixed and mobile telephony in both urban and rural areas, radio and television broadcasting, multimedia services (infrastructure and Internet access), mobile telecommunications, remote access to the Internet, and remote access to the Internet.-

e-learning, telemedicine, etc. Cooperation in these areas will enable Nigeria to solve a number of important tasks. First of all, the country will be able to obtain more accurate information that allows it to predict crop yields and determine the necessary volumes of food imports; receive information in advance about possible natural disasters and prevent their consequences; improve the accuracy of estimating natural resources, and most importantly - develop and accumulate appropriate technologies and knowledge, form national qualified personnel, and create space infrastructure, especially its ground elements.

During the 2009 visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to Nigeria, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and NASDRA on cooperation in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space.¹⁸ In August 2009, an agreement was reached to establish a Russian-Nigerian working group on cooperation in space exploration.

It is important to note that the country's relative proximity to the equator makes it potentially attractive for involvement in international space activities by providing territory for the construction of spaceports and launching spacecraft. * * *

It should be recognized that today cooperation between Russia and Nigeria in the field of space activities is not developed. In the long run, it can also contribute to the growth of cooperation in this area with other African countries (the growing demand for space technologies and services). It seems more promising to develop cooperation not only on a bilateral, but also on a multilateral basis with the involvement of third countries (China, India, Brazil, Ukraine) to implement joint projects in this area.

¹ http://www.nasrda.gov.ng/

² Ibidem.

³ Nigeria's Space Program - http://www.nasrda.org/space_program. php

⁴ http://www.nigeria-law.org -Collection of legislation of Nigeria.

⁵ The Nigerian Insurance Act 2003 - http://insurancenigeria.com. ng/the-nigerian-insurance-act-2003.html

⁶ Report of the UN/Nigeria Workshop on Space Law on " Compliance with International Obligations and meeting domestic needs "(Abuja. 21 - 24 ноября 2005 г.) -http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/reports/acl05/AC105_866R.pdt'

⁷ http://www.oact.dz/oact/ - сайт African Organization of Cartography and Remote Sensing (AOCRS).

⁸ Orbital Disaster Monitoring Group-designed for daily monitoring of emergencies anywhere in the world and timely response. Today, the resulting images are used for a variety of purposes, such as monitoring agriculture and forestry, and mapping the Earth's surface.

⁹ http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/reports/regdocs/inf41lR.pdf

¹⁰ UK Exports Earth Observation Satellite to Nigeria to improve African Resource Management - http:// http://www.sstl.co.uk

¹¹ An Overview of the Nigerian Space Programme and Future Direction - http://www.nasrda.gov.ng/MedConf/SpaccDialog.pdf

¹² Nigeria shall achieve technological competence in the manufacture and launch of satellites by the year 2025 - http://www.nasrda.gov.ng/

¹³ http://www.nasrda.gov.ng

¹⁴ http://www.nigcomsat.com -official website of NIGCOMSAT Ltd.

¹⁵ National Space Dialogue and National Media Conference on space science and technology in Nigeria - http://www.nasrda.gov.ng/ sdialogue.html

¹⁶ Nigeria shall achieve technological сотресепсеУК

¹⁷ See, for example: Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of South Africa on Cooperation in the Peaceful Exploration and Use of Outer Space (Cape Town, 5 September 2006) - http://www.federalspace.ru/main.php?id=280 &did-1156

¹⁸ Medvedev met with the leader of Nigeria - http://www.smysl-project.ru/news/item/490.medvedev_vstretilsya_s_liderom_nigerii. html

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