Acquire Advanced Satellites to Curb Data Capital Flight– Expert

A Space Engineer, Professor Spencer Ojogba Onuh, has emphasised the need for Nigeria to acquire more advanced satellites to curb the over $2 billion annual capital flight spent on sourcing data and imagery.

Speaking in an interview in Abuja on Tuesday, Onuh reflected on the impact of the National Space Programme over the past 25 years. He highlighted the high cost of satellite data and noted that government institutions were spending heavily on acquiring such data and imagery from foreign sources.

“We are facing a significant challenge of capital flight on data and imagery because our satellites were designed with specific resolutions,” he explained.

“These institutions require a certain resolution level which our satellites cannot currently provide, so they turn to foreign sources for their needs. Military standards demand a sub-one-metre resolution, while our satellites operate at a 2.5-metre resolution. This is a major limitation.

“Nigeria loses between $2 and $3 billion annually due to the cost of data, as acquiring satellite imagery for purposes like town planning or military use often requires sub-one-metre, 30cm, or 50cm resolution, which we lack,” Onuh said.

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He noted that although acquiring higher-resolution satellites was capital-intensive, it would ultimately save the country significant amounts of money and enhance data accessibility.

Another challenge affecting Nigeria’s space programme, according to Onuh, is the country’s cloudy skies, which hinder the effectiveness of existing satellites.

“To address the issue of cloud cover, we will need a Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite. Similarly, we require meteorological satellites to effectively monitor the increasingly erratic weather patterns.

“If Nigeria is planning another phase of satellite design and manufacture to address these challenges, these considerations must be prioritised. Additionally, we need to replace our communication satellite, which will soon be deorbited and is likely to experience performance decline,” he added.

Onuh urged the Federal Government to fully commit to revolutionising the space programme, emphasising that its success would benefit the entire country.