Home » Broadband » Pantami signs Space accord

Pantami signs Space accord

Pantami is said to have signed Artemis accords and Space X Partnership at the Us-Africa leaders’ forum

Advertisement

IT News Nigeria:

The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Nigeria.  He also announced partnership with Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) to provide broadband access across the whole of Nigeria.

A statement issued today by Dr. Femi Adeluyi, Technical Assistant (Research & Development) to the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, said these two events took place at the ongoing US-Africa Leaders’ Forum (USALF), taking place in Washington DC, United States of America. The Summit is hosted by President Joe Biden of the United States and brought together leaders from across Africa.

Pantami signed the Accords to signal Nigeria’s participation in the next phase of space exploration to be coordinated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). President Paul Kagame also announced Rwanda’s endorsement of the Accord.  President Paul Biya of Cameroon, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and the Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Mr. Don Graves, also spoke at the event. Nigeria and Rwanda were the first two African countries to sign the Accord and the 22md and 23rd in the world.  The signing took place on the 13th of December 2022 at the U.S.-Africa Space Forum- a side event at the USALF.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said “I’m thrilled Nigeria and Rwanda are committing to the safe, sustainable use of outer space. In an era where more nations than ever have space programs, today’s signings highlight a growing commitment to ensure space exploration is conducted responsibly.” He also stated that “as the first African nations to sign the Artemis Accords, Nigeria and Rwanda exemplify the global reach of the accords and are demonstrating their leadership in space exploration.”

READ ALSO  Network International gets new Regional President for Nigeria, Africa

Artemis Accords were established by NASA in 2020, as a set of principles to guide the next phase of space exploration, reinforcing and providing for important operational implementation of key obligations in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. The Accords also serve to reinforce the commitment of the United States and signatory nations to the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as guidelines and best practices NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.

The Honourable Minister also announced Nigeria’s partnership with SpaceX, having approved their application as a High Throughput Satellite (HTS) Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) Operator in the Nigerian Telecommunications Sector.  As part of the partnership, Space X is to provide broadband access across the whole of Nigeria, enabling nation-wide access to broadband connectivity way ahead of the December 2025 schedule, as outlined in our National Broadband Plan.  With this collaboration with SpaceX’s Starlink, Nigeria is set to be the 1st African country to introduce the service. The nation-wide rollout shall take place before the end of 2022, after conclusion of a few administrative processes.  The announcement was made at the US-Space Forum, where Professor Pantami also served as a speaker.

The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, under Professor Pantami’s leadership, will continue its committed implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) to ensure that Nigeria’s digital economy remains a leading light, both in Africa and across the globe.

Share This:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

x

Check Also

9mobile Announces 2022 Essay Competition on the Environment Winners

Nigeria’s youth-friendly brand, 9mobile, has announced ...

Breaking Down Barriers to Voter Engagement: The Success Story of Infobip and Yiaga Africa

In an effort to drive more ...

Creative Entrepreneurs in Nigeria and African can now join Bellafricana FREE

Bellafricana has opened its tech-enabled community as ...

WhatsApp NITDA

NITDA engages professionals for new Digital Skills Strategy

NITDA says it has engaged Multinationals ...

5g new ITR ncc regulator 3.5GHz Spectrum social media

Report Elections Incidents By Dialing 622 Toll-Free Hotline – NCC

*NCC has announced the Dedication of ...

%d bloggers like this:
Skip to toolbar