The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has raised new concerns about Nigeria’s growing security vulnerabilities, noting that terrorist groups have shifted from conventional mobile networks to satellite-based communication systems.
NASRDA’s Director General, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, disclosed this on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today. He warned that shutting down mobile networks during security operations no longer disrupts terrorist activities, as criminal groups now rely on more sophisticated satellite channels.“It breaks my heart when state governments shut down communication on our mobile phones, because most of them are not actually communicating through mobile networks. They are making it through the satellite platform. The terrorists are using satellites to communicate,” Adepoju said.
He explained that many Nigerians misunderstand the capabilities of the country’s existing satellites, which are primarily designed for imaging rather than real-time video surveillance. “Sometimes, there’s a misconception about what satellites should do and what they have the capacity to do. The one the military has and the one we’ve launched in the agency are imagers. They don’t record videos, and they travel around the globe,” he said.
Adepoju noted that Nigeria’s current satellites—NigeriaSat-1, NigeriaSat-X, and NigeriaSat-2—require an average of three days to revisit the same location, limiting rapid response to fast-moving security threats. He added that a new satellite constellation approved by President Bola Tinubu would reduce revisit times to between four and six hours, depending on orbital placement.
The agency plans to expand the fleet further with four or five additional satellites to achieve near real-time monitoring capacity. “If you want to have global coverage, we need to launch plenty of them into orbit. As one is going, another is coming. That’s why we went for the constellation of the four that the president has approved for us,” Adepoju said.
He also revealed that NASRDA has secured an agreement with a U.S.-based technical partner operating nearly 300 satellites capable of advanced signal analytics to enhance Nigeria’s intelligence capabilities. However, the platform remains inactive because the funds required to activate the partnership have not yet been released.
Adepoju stressed that Nigeria must invest heavily in research-driven security tools and continue developing new satellites to close surveillance gaps. His comments follow the Federal Executive Council’s approval of four new satellites—three Earth-observation satellites and one radar satellite—intended to improve the country’s ability to monitor criminal activity.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, had stated that the new radar satellite would provide imaging “day, night, during rain, every time of the day,” enhancing military operations in areas such as the Sambisa Forest.
Adepoju also clarified that Nigeria did not lose any satellites, explaining that one previously in operation was safely decommissioned after power issues caused by a malfunctioning solar panel. Despite funding challenges, he confirmed ongoing plans for Nigeria’s first astronaut through a partnership with the Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA), noting that the selection process is underway.
Source: https://guardian.ng/
