Between 2021 and 2023, Nigeria spent ₦101.744 billion on its space program, which 2016 promised to send an unmanned mission to Mars by 2022 and a manned mission by 2030. However, the agency failed its 2022 target and will probably also fail that of 2030.
The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) was established on May 5, 1999, with the aim of discovering, developing, and the application of space science and technology to benefit the citizens of the country. NASRDA was founded as an agency under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and Innovation (FMSTI).
In 2016, the former Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu, promised to have an astronaut in space by 2030, which has seen no progress even now. It was later discovered that close to 70% of the NASRDA’s annual was spent on salaries, leaving little to no funding for the actual project.
However, in 2022, the budget was increased from ₦6,166,477,307 in 2021 to ₦27,881,134,480 after a special intervention by former President Mohammadu Buhari. Yet again, the outcome was the same as most of the budget went to salaries.
It was later discovered that there were 14 other mini-agencies created to support the Nigerian space program, which consumed over ₦20 billion in 2021, aside from the ₦6 billion allocated for NASRDA.
The 14 Space Agencies
Below are the agencies and their respective allocations.
- Advanced Space Technology Application Laboratory Uyo, Akwa Ibom State – ₦1,116,081,752;
- Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics, Toro Bauchi – ₦1,402,684,355;
- African Regional Centre for Space Education Ile Ife, Osun State – ₦997,766,721;
- Centre for Space Transport Propulsion Epe, Lagos – ₦2,043,664,976;
- Centre for Basic Space Science Nsukka, Enugu State – ₦1,954,550,698;
- National Centre for Remote Sensing Jos, Plateau State – ₦2,632,077,830;
- Zonal Advanced Technology Laboratory Kano – ₦398,659,596;
- Advanced Aircraft Engineering Laboratory Gusau, Zamfara State – ₦368,374,591.
- Advanced Aerospace Engine Laboratory Oka, Ondo State – ₦444,722,273;
- Advanced Unmanned Aerial Laboratory Uburu, Ebonyi State – ₦742,645,567;
- NASRDA Institute of Space Science and Engineering Abuja – ₦542,247,723;
- Zonal Advanced Space Technology Application Kashere, Gombe State – ₦380,555,070;
- Zonal Advanced Space Technology Application Ikwo, Ebonyi State – ₦71,425,001;
- Zonal Advanced Space Technology Application Langtang, Plateau State – ₦378,925,419.
However, the 2023 NASRDA budget dropped from ₦27.881 billion to ₦22.697 billion. As expected, salaries accounted for over 90% of this allocation, with the rest allocated to capital and overhead expenses.