Nigeria: Officials Hail Chinese Launch of NIGCOMSAT1 Satellite

Text of report by Nigerian NTA TV from Abuja on 13 May

Nigeria today [13 May] made history when it joined the league of countries with satellite in orbit, President Olusegun Obasanjo along with a host of Nigerian dignitaries and foreigners watched as NIGCOMSAT 1 was launched into orbit this evening.

[Adeoye] For the Obasanjo administration, the launch of NIGCOMSAT 1 is regarded as a monumental achievement for the people of Nigeria.

It was in December 2004 that Nigeria signed a satellite contract programme with China Grade 1 industry.

China was to provide Nigeria through the National Space Research and Development a NIGCOMSAT 1 communication developed on the basis of domfat on 4 satellite platform. [as heard]

Today in China, the 2004 contract became a reality when the NIGCOMSAT 1 was launched into the orbit.

[Ahmed el-Rufai, official of the Nigeria Communication Satellite office in Abuja] With this feat, Nigeria becomes the first in Africa to launch a [words indistinct] CU KU KA all band communication satellite.

The satellite would address a mirage of applications that spans voice, video, data services within and outside the catchments of Africa.

The government of Nigeria has also established the first space centre in Africa named the Obasanjo Space Centre which was commissioned on the 30th of April this year.

It is envisaged that satellite would characterized economic rejuvenation on the continent of Africa and kick start development dynamics based on knowledge based economy of the 21st century.

[Adeoye] The historic launch begins for Nigeria and indeed for Africa, economic and technological emancipation.

Experts say the country stands to generate an annual revenue of about 70m US dollars from the direct sale of communication slots since the satellite is designed to optimize the use of information and communication technology in the nation’s economy through electronic transactions.

With this launch, the country would make savings of about 100m dollars spent every year on information traffic which before now were received from other countries satellite.

[Frank Nweke, Nigeria's Information and Communication Minister] This is the first geo stationary communication satellite in sub Saharan Africa has been launched by Nigeria, the heart of Africa.

For me, this successful launch is symbolic for everything that is possible for our country, it is symbolic for the future of our country, it is symbolic for the fact that the best thing is yet to come.

[Adeoye] Nigerians and indeed Africans would also be employed by companies and organizations directly or indirectly linked to the satellite in orbit.

The new satellite when fully operational would also enhance government’s economic reforms particularly the areas of e-learning, e-commerce, telemedicine, education, and a host of other technology required field.

Nigeria contributed about 57.3bn naira [450m US dollars] to the realization of a dream which have today resulted in the launch of NIGCOMSAT 1.

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