The Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr. Matthew Adepoju, has described the collaboration with SkyTrek Balloons Limited as a practical demonstration of the Federal Government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) policy geared towards promoting the socio-economic development of the country.

He made the remarks during a strategic meeting with the management and board members of SkyTrek at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

Dr. Adepoju noted that the collaboration reflects the intent behind government policies aimed at driving innovation and private-sector participation.

He explained that the partnership represents a practical outcome of the Federal Government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, designed to unlock opportunities in emerging sectors.

The Director-General, however, cautioned that approvals granted by the National Security Adviser (NSA) comes with specific restrictions, particularly concerning designated no-fly zones.

He stressed the importance of clearly mapping out restricted areas to ensure full compliance with national security regulations and to avoid any breach of the law during operations.

He also urged the Accountable Manager of the team to fast-track the business plan without further delay, emphasizing the need for expansion and encouraging the team to focus on major cities with strong commercial potential in order to maximize the opportunity at hand.

According to him, clear action plans must be developed to guide timely execution and growth of any project.

In his remarks, the Director Strategic Space Applications Dr. Godstime James, thanked the DG for his support and guidance which has helped Skytrek Balloons Limited achieve their objectives over a period of time.

Dr. James also pointed that this marks the most advanced stage the balloon business has reached in the country, adding that the company is fully committed to seeing the project through to success.

The event also featured key presentations by the Deputy Director, Projects/ Programmes, Engineering and Space Systems (ESS), Dr. Nongo Sesugh, alongside the Accountable Manager, Mr. Olatunde Bakre, who provided insights into the project framework and implementation strategy.

Written by: Luqman Abdulraheem
Edited by: Monica Jiya
Media and Corporate *Communications