Nigeria to lead space research, development, says minister

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has said the commitment of the Federal Government to its space research and development agency is sacrosanct.
Onu spoke at the Kogi State University Anyigba, where he commissioned the Laboratory Complex and Engineering Workshop building of the Centre for Atmospheric Research (CAR).

He said: “Nigeria cannot be indifferent to what is happening in space. As the developed nations are exploring space, we cannot be indifferent. We cannot go to sleep and allow them do it and then later we go and copy. No, we want to also be in space. We want to be at the frontier of knowledge. We want to pursue knowledge as other nations are doing, and there is very good reason to do so.”

Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Professor Seidu Onailo Muhammed, said the centre is mandated to provide sound education, research and knowledge in lower atmosphere; upper atmosphere; atmospheric chemistry and environmental science.The Director also reported a support from the Japanese government and American institutions worth over $400,000 in the last three years.