‘Nigeria Loses $450m To IT Services Annually’

Africa loses $450 million to Information Technology (IT) services annually, according to Dr. Seidu Mohammed, Director-General, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

He told members of the Executive Council of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) who visited him on Friday in Abuja that reliable communication strategies should be put in place to stop the waste.

“About $450 million leave Africa annually for internet and other communication services alone. For Africa to achieve its dreams, certain things have to be put in place,” he said.

Mohammed said this could only be achieved by launching communication satellite across the continent to make the internet affordable

and available to all.

He urged major stakeholders to invest in communication and earth observation satellite.

Mohammed announced that in the last quarter of the year, NASRDA would launch an Earth Observation Satellite that would make proper planning and update of the cities easier.

“NASRDA is considered the best in Africa

because it has more than 400 engineers and scientists,” he added.

The Director-General said information technology revolution that was driving the world, was powered by satellite, adding that

NASRDA and NSE had a lot to do for the

benefit of the people.

He said that in 2007, the agency launched communication satellite, while in the fourth quarter of 2010, it would launch NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X.

Mohammed said Nigerian engineers and scientists designed NigeriaSat-X, which would be launched along side NigeriaSat-2.

“This will provide unique opportunities for

Nigerian engineers to prove to the world that the feat is achievable in Nigeria. We must work together to tell our people to invest in space science.

“At the moment, it is projected that by 2020, about $200 billion grant will be available for communication satellite worldwide.

“As long as we remain as part of the international community, we must continue to justify our existence. For us to partake in the $200 billion grant, we must be able to launch a satellite,” he said.

Mohammed said the agency would pilot the telemedicine project to assist the country in achieving its MDGs.

“The greater part of the rural Nigeria will have access to quality medical facilities through the project,” he added.

The NSE President, Mr. Olumuyiwu Ajibola, urged NASRDA to collaborate with NSC on capacity building in space technology.

He also urged the agency to sponsor television

programmes to educate the public on the importance of space science and technology as well as university research projects on amateur satellite design.