Nigeria’s Space Journey – Understanding its Past, Reshaping its Future is about space and its impact on a developing country, with Nigeria as a case study. The book focuses on the steps Nigeria is taking to achieve its space and related goals; it is divided into six main sections: Space in Human Lives; Space Efforts in Nigeria; Reawakening of Nigeria; Nigeria’s Space Priorities; Contributions to the Resolution of Global Concerns; and Moving Ahead.

When, in 1962, a 40-pound meteorite from Mars – named Zagami - landed in Nigeria, it was a significant space encounter for the nation. Soon after, in 1963, was the equally historic first ever live satellite telephone conversation between America’s then youngest President, and Nigeria’s first Prime Minister. Was space beckoning? Nigeria eventually took the plunge in 2001 and defined its space objective in these words:

To make Nigeria build indigenous competence in developing, designing and building appropriate hardware and software in space technology as an essential tool for its socio-economic development and enhancement of the quality of life of its people. (Nigeria’s National Space Policy & Programme, 2001)

However, instead of pursuing the above objective, Nigeria swallowed the bait of the satellite merchants that touted the acquisition of micro-satellites as the quickest and cheapest way to space for the developing countries. A string of such acquisitions soon became the centrepiece of the nation’s space programme, acquisitions which have taken the nation off course and away from the goals articulated in the above national space objective. The book examines and analyses the lessons Nigeria has learned on its space journey to-date. It concludes that the nation’s space efforts have not delivered as promised, and that the nation’s space journey should be redefined and redesigned in order for Nigeria to attain its space and related goals.

As Nigeria looks to the future, it must effectively utilise its natural endowments to earn its badge of honour as a space capable country. It will achieve this feat when it successfully retools its own science and technology (S&T) capabilities, and utilises these assets to indigenously develop and build its space tools and ancillaries. Such an undertaking and the associated spin-offs would result in a positive impact on the ground by enhancing the nation’s economic development and improving the wellbeing of its people.

The book draws on a number of examples from other nations and addresses how Nigeria could learn and benefit from their experience. It proffers a number of mid- to long-term solutions which should also find relevance and practical application in other space-aspiring countries. Nigeria’s steadfast commitment to the proposed priorities will enable it to secure its passport to its own future as a knowledge society and a developed country. It will also empower the nation to shape its own space and economic future, become a leading partner and voice in determining Africa’s future, and be a reliable collaborator in the solution of global problems. By conscientiously adopting and implementing the priorities proposed in this book, Nigeria should be able to proclaim, in the near future, that Space is our operational tool of development.