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Astronautics
undertook the feasibility study, highlighting the
current use of space applications in Africa, making
recommendations and creating a roadmap for the
establishment of an agency.
Egypt and potentially Sudan have indicated
interest in hosting an African Space Agency to
coordinate a regional response to the space policy.
Work is already underway to bring this to reality as
it will foster cooperation among African states in
space research, technology and applications.
Through the launch of an African Space Agency,
Africa will be able to negotiate better offers
for satellite construction, space launches and
technology transfer; and coordinate the sharing of
data, limited facilities and infrastructure much more
than individual small countries can do on their own.
According to Timiebi Aganaba-Jeanty, a keen
observer of the African space industry, in a paper
presented at the 2016 International Astronautical
Congress (IAC) in Mexico, a number of challenges
have been identified with an African Space Agency:
• lack of political will on the continent
• dependency on external support
• regulatory restrictions
• insufficient coordination, and awareness of
indigenous capacity.
Although no space project is currently ongoing
that leverages this level of regional cooperation -
except the SKA project which involves about nine
African countries - some regional projects are
anticipated in the years to come.
This is a good time to invest in the space
industry in Africa, with Nigeria’s National
Space Research and Development Agency
(NASRDA), the South African National Space
Agency (SANSA) and their counterparts in other
countries pursuing a proactive agenda.
Africa has decided to take charge of its space
matters and collaboration will be essential in
building the next generation of technology
in the space industry and maximising it for
sustainable development of the region. As the
second largest continent, Africa leaves a very big
market open for commercial space start-ups to
maximise profit on investment.
About the author
Temidayo Isaiah
Oniosun is a graduate of Meteorology at the Federal
University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) and the African Regional
Coordinator for Space Generation Advisory Council of the United
Nations (SGAC). He works with the Centre for Space Research and
Applications, FUTA, and is currently working on SpaceTeD; a start-up
committed to empowering the minorities with space technologies
for sustainable development.
Artist’s impression of
the Square Kilometre
Array at night featuring all
four elements. The
SKA-mid (front left) dishes
and precursor MeerKAT
dishes (background left)
will be located in South
Africa, with some remote
stations in other African
partner countries. The low
frequency aperture array
antennas (bottom right),
and precursor ASKAP
dishes (background right)
will be in Western
Australia.
Lack of funding
has been a
major problem
in the African
space industry
