FG Spends £35m On Niger Sat-2

The Director-General, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr. Sheidu Mohammed says the Federal Government has spent £35 million on the construction of Niger Sat–2.

The project is expected to be launched before April 2010, the DG said at a one-day post-project and sensitization workshop, which was organized by NASRDA in collaboration with the Federal University of Technology, Minna.

According to the Director-General, the Niger Sat -2, which is being constructed by a UK – based company working with 27 Nigerian scientists is to compliment the Niger Sat – 1, which has exceeded its period of operations by one year.

Mohammed said that the Niger Sat – 2 has been designed to have better resolution and wider application, adding that Nigeria stands a better advantage technologically, if it goes into full operations next year.

“The launch will contribute to monitoring of oil facilities in the country, security, bunkering and issues of flooding,” he said.

According to Mohammed, Niger Sat – 2 will bring Nigeria at par with other countries on information and communication technologies, while NASRDA has concluded plans to work in partnership with institutions of higher learning, to add value socially and economically.