The Director General and Chief Executive of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr Matthew Adepoju, has led a senior delegation to the headquarters of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bangalore, India, to deepen bilateral cooperation in space science and technology. The visit marked an important step in implementing the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries on the peaceful use of outer space.
As part of Nigeria’s drive to strengthen its role in the global space community, the mission created opportunities to build on earlier achievements and explore new avenues for collaboration in capacity building, research and sustainable development. During the engagements, Dr Adepoju and his team held strategic talks with the Scientific Secretary of ISRO, the Director of the Earth Observation Programme Office (EDPO), and other senior officials, while also meeting with partners including the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Trivandrum and Ananth Technologies.
One of the key outcomes was a new understanding between NASRDA and IIST to expand academic and research cooperation. Both institutions agreed to promote student and faculty exchange programmes, capacity-building workshops, joint scientific research, curriculum development in emerging space technologies, as well as conferences, sponsorships and collaborative funding initiatives. This partnership is expected to integrate Nigerian universities into global research networks in space science and engineering.
The delegation also reviewed progress under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, through which 25 NASRDA officers received training earlier this year in satellite image analysis and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data processing. The initiative reflects India’s commitment to knowledge sharing and Nigeria’s determination to build its technical expertise in space science.
Dr Adepoju hailed the visit as a milestone in Nigeria-India space relations, stressing that the outcomes would accelerate innovation in satellite technology, strengthen food security through precision agriculture, enhance disaster preparedness, broaden educational opportunities and support progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The NASRDA delegation included Dr Godstime Kadiri James, Director of Strategic Space Applications; Dr David Jeb Nyomo, Director of the National Centre for Remote Sensing, Jos; and Dr Chichebe Akachukwu, Director of Ground Station and Mission Control.
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