Tinubu directs immediate release of funds for space assets maintenance

President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate release of approved funds for the maintenance of Nigeria’s space assets, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to implementing the country’s revised 25-year space development roadmap.

The directive was conveyed on Tuesday at the first meeting of the National Space Council held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The President was represented at the meeting by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Tinubu said the cost of implementing the revised roadmap for the National Space Policy and Programme would be forwarded to the Federal Executive Council for consideration and approval.

He stressed that Nigeria’s space ambitions must be anchored on measurable outcomes, accountability and national value.

“Nigeria will not watch the new frontier unfold from the sidelines. We will participate, we will compete, we will contribute,” he said, adding that the country’s space programme must directly benefit citizens, including farmers, teachers, entrepreneurs, security personnel and researchers.

The President noted that investments in the space sector are driven by opportunities in outer space as a platform for technological advancement, economic diversification and environmental management.

According to him, space technology underpins cybersecurity and the digital economy, while offering practical benefits such as precision agriculture, border security, early warning systems for disasters, improved communications and smarter urban planning.

The President urged the enforcement of regulations governing the responsible use of space assets, in line with the NASDRA Act 2010, and called for the timely release of all approved funds by the Ministry of Finance.