The Director General and Chief Executive of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr. Matthew Adepoju, has reiterated the need for Africa to harness its collective strength to actively participate in the global space economy.
He made this statement while receiving members of the Local Organizing Committee and Foreign Delegates for the 2025 African Space Economy Conference (ASEC) at NASRDA’s headquarters in Abuja.
Dr. Adepoju who was highly elated with the presence of the foreign delegates, described them as partners in progress whose participation reflects the increasing global interest in Africa’s growing space potential.
He commended the Local Organizing Committee led by its Chairman, Mr. Osi Imomoh for their expertise and tireless efforts, stating that this edition has already surpassed the previous one in quality, participation, and strategic importance.
The NASRDA boss noted that even though the program is currently at the primary level, it is steadily building momentum for transition to the secondary level, where real-time applications, cross-border collaborations, and commercial outputs will flourish.
He stressed that the African continent, despite its economic disparities, must embrace unity and collaboration through platforms like ASEC, so that no nation is left behind in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The NASRDA helmsman said Africa as a Continent must work together and use this platform to ensure all African nations are active players in the global space ecosystem.
He emphasized the role of collective innovation, particularly in rocketry and satellite development, saying, the growing importance of environmental monitoring through space technologies to mitigate Africa’s ecological challenges is crucial.
Dr. Adepoju noted that the African continent is abundantly blessed with natural resources and intellectual capabilities hence, the need to build synergies among our engineers, scientists, and business leaders to transform our innovations into sustainable economic growth.
He assured the foreign delegates of NASRDA’s readiness and security framework, stating that the Agency has established a dedicated Department of Space Regulations and Spectrum Management to guide and protect space-sector investments, assuring them that the facilities are in top shape and the Agency is prepared to provide a world-class environment for the international partners to thrive.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the 2025 ASEC Local Organizing Committee, Mr. Osi Imomoh, appreciated the Director General for his steadfast support, describing the event as a milestone in Africa’s space development journey.
He introduced the delegation with pride, commending them for their contributions and commitment to advancing space innovation on the continent.
Speaking on behalf of the foreign delegation, the Chief Executive officer of Hayes Group USA, Selina Hayes acknowledged the hospitality and rich engagements for the past three days emphasizing that the conference has been extremely engaging, informative and educative.
While looking forward to greater experience next year, she explained that the platform had provided the opportunity to identify key challenges and their corresponding solutions for future engagements.
In his contribution, the Co-Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Engr. (Dr.) Haruna Mohammed, expressed gratitude to the NASRDA boss and all committee members as well as the international guests for their valuable contributions, emphasizing the high standard of participation and expressed confidence that delegates have received value beyond expectations.
The event climaxed with an extensive tour of NASRDA’s state-of-the-art facilities, showcasing the Agency’s readiness to drive Africa’s space ambitions and attract global partnerships.
Below are pictures from the visit
Written by: Monica Jiya
Editor: Joy Opaluwa
Media and Corporate Communications Unit
