A case for capacity-building and foundational advocacy

It was the July 18^th weekend, and my weekend was enjoying out fairly eventfully. I had spent the weekend holed up in my residence, making relentless calls with the group from the Worldwide Telecommunication Union (ITU). The ITU is a UN company that manages the allocation of orbital slots and radio frequencies to keep away from conflicts between nations and firms. The premise of my calls to ITU had been to advocate for Nigeria to retain certainly one of its belongings in area. It has been a journey that spans a 12 months, and it has turn out to be overwhelming. In making these calls, I began to ponder a query I’ve been requested a number of occasions: “Why ought to Nigeria be in area?”

It introduced again the query that President John F. Kennedy as soon as requested himself when the US was in a race in opposition to Russia to land the primary man on the moon. “Why ought to we as a human race go to area?” JFK so eloquently answered this query as he defined man’s want to unravel advanced and daring issues. Our quest for progress, our curiosity as humankind, has at all times resulted in innovation. Our journey to area was greater than the result, however fairly about who we grew to become due to the method. In going to the moon, man found prosthetics, rechargeable batteries, wi-fi headsets, blood sugar screens, etcetera.

Subsequently, I feel the query ought to fairly be “Why ought to Nigeria not be in area?” 

Africa’s area sector is at present valued at roughly $19 billion and is projected to achieve $23 billion by 2026. But, regardless of this progress, the continent stays closely depending on exterior applied sciences, experience, and infrastructure. With our rising pool of youthful inhabitants, engineers, innovators, and so forth., there isn’t any motive why we must be overlooked of the worldwide race. If area expertise can foster nationwide progress in each different space, then why can we not lead the continent in creating and proudly owning such expertise? And whereas we’re at it, why ought to Nigerian Jollof rice not make it to the area menu sometime?”

Of the 54 nations in Africa, Nigeria owns three orbital slots, certainly one of which is utilised by way of the  NigComSat-1 satellite tv for pc, leaving the opposite two slots susceptible to reassignment. These three slots are important for telecommunications, broadcasting, climate monitoring, and nationwide defence functions. But, right here we’re, holding area within the sky and leaving two-thirds of it unused. In contrast to JFK’s America that responded to his ambition and swiftly acted it out, we’ve got let silence drift into the orbits we claimed. The query isn’t just why Nigeria must be in area. It’s why we aren’t absolutely there but. Why are we letting a a lot sought-after alternative go to waste, regardless of already having a foot within the door?

Because the Managing Director of Nigerian Communications Satellite tv for pc (NIGCOMSAT) Ltd, I see firsthand how area expertise shapes our current and defines our future. Whether or not it’s enabling real-time communications in rural communities, supporting emergency companies, or driving innovation throughout agriculture, schooling, and healthcare. Satellite tv for pc expertise is a quiet however highly effective engine behind nationwide progress.

Certainly, Nigeria has lagged in absolutely maximising the infrastructure that it has. I imagine it’s time we confront an essential fact: infrastructure alone won’t carry us to the longer term we envision. To unlock the complete worth of Nigeria’s area ambitions, we should construct foundational capability in analysis, in schooling, in human capital, and in collaboration. We should spend money on home functionality and indigenous innovation.

Capability-building in area expertise begins with equipping the following era – our college students, researchers, engineers, and scientists with the instruments, data, and alternatives that they should thrive. Efforts should be geared in the direction of onboarding and mentoring younger professionals by way of their IT journey. Therefore, collaborations between universities, analysis establishments, and business are vital and should give attention to curriculum growth, coaching applications, satellite tv for pc expertise demonstrations, and hackathons. 

Transformative initiatives just like the Africa Constellation Satellite tv for pc (AFCONSAT) challenge and Omni Africa House Exploration Analog Simulation (OASEAS) are what we have to realise our full potential in area exploration. These initiatives deliver academia and business collectively to discover constructing indigenous satellites in Africa, therefore emphasising the function Nigeria can and should play in advancing Africa’s area ecosystem. The concept of localised analysis facilities, maybe right here in Nigeria, the place younger Africans can simulate, take a look at, and innovate for area exploration, isn’t just aspirational; it’s vital.

However the policymakers, lecturers, personal sector actors, and the youth should begin to collaborate with intention and decide to a shared roadmap for capacity-building that’s inclusive, sustainable, and deeply African in its context and execution.

President John F. Kennedy aptly surmised this in an tackle to Congress in 1961, “We select to go to the moon on this decade and do the opposite issues, not as a result of they’re straightforward, however as a result of they’re onerous.” Kennedy’s imaginative and prescient was not nearly reaching the moon, but additionally in regards to the broader implications of area exploration for the US and the world. He believed that mastering area would develop human understanding and capabilities. And that is certainly the truth, particularly in Nigeria. We should always purpose for the celebrities. However whereas we purpose for the celebrities, allow us to first be certain we construct the launchpad right here at residence.

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Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen is the Managing Director/Chief Govt Officer of Nigerian Communications Satellite tv for pc (NIGCOMSAT) Restricted.

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