South Africa and Nigeria Supremacy Battle on Space Investment
Space in Africa
September 17, 2018
Comparison between Nigeria & South Africa's space allocation
South Africa and Nigeria have always been in a supremacy battle on who is the number one in Africa.
According to the 2018 National Budget of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology received ₦75,677,747,631 ($209m) and ₦5,573,471,146 ($15.4m) of this was allocated to the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) headquarters located in Abuja. A total of ₦13,688,991,138 ($37.8m) was budgeted for space science and technology which is approximately 18.1% of the total budget of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
The breakdown of this allocation is:
Centre for Atmospheric Research ₦618,394,407 ($1.7m)
Advanced Space Technology Application Laboratory Uyo Akwa Ibom State ₦588,631,420 ($1.6m)
Advanced Aerospace Engine Laboratory Oka Akoko, Ondo State. ₦350,000,000 ($970k)
NASRDA Institute of Space Science and Engineering, Abuja ₦275,000,000 ($760k)
Zonal Advanced Space Technology Application, Kashere, Gombe State ₦250,000,000 ($691k)
Zonal Advanced Space Technology Application, Langtang, Plateau State ₦250,000,000 ($691k)
Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics – Toro Bauchi State ₦766,908,554 ($2.1m)
African Regional Centre for Space Education – Ile Ife, Osun State ₦661,825,984 ($1.8m)
Centre for Space Transport Propulsion – Epe, Lagos ₦1,199,579,288 ($3.3m)
Centre for Basic Space Science – Nsukka ₦1,052,103,658 ($2.9m)
National Centre for Remote Sensing – Jos, Plateau State ₦2,103,076,081 ($5.8m)
Nigeria’s Space allocation for 2018
This is a slight improvement on the 2017 budget which granted the National Space Agency headquarters ₦5,204,153,832 ($14.5m) while the total budget for space science and technology in 2017 was ₦10,535,073,754 ($29.3m)
In contrast, South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) budget this financial year increased to R7,79 billion ($550m) – out of this, the South African National Space Agency receives R138 million ($9.7m). This is an improvement on the last financial year’s budget for the space agency which was R131-million ($8.6m). The Square Kilometer Array project receives R709 million ($50m) this year; altogether, approximately, R 847 million ($60m) about 10.9% of the total budget of the department of science and technology is spent on space activities.
The allocation will be used to address transformation, through key research, development and support initiatives.
South Africa’s space allocation for 2018/2019 financial year
South Africa’s department of science and technology has more than twice the budget of Nigeria’s Ministry of science and technology even though only 10% of the budget is spent on space science and technology compared to Nigeria’s 18.1%. South Africa’s total allocation for space is $22.2m more than Nigeria’s.
The major part of South Africa’s funding is going into the SKA project with the agency also pioneering the Pan African Institute of Space Science in collaboration with CPUT. South Africa’s influence on Small Satellite development is top notch in Africa after building and launching 3 nanosatellites (ZACube-2, designed and built mainly by postgraduate students at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in conjunction with SANSA as part of the CubeSat programme will be launched before the end of 2018.
Nigeria on the other hand is working towards the establishment of an Institute of Space Science and Engineering which aim to offer postgraduate training and courses on space applications and space engineering. In the past, the centre has worked with local institutions like the Federal University of Technology, Akure on small sat development – the NigeriaEduSAT project and is also working with Landmark University on the development of another nano-satellite even though most of these endeavors are highly dependent on foreign partners. With the establishment of this institute, the nation is expected to build more capacity development on small satellite technologies and space applications.
Nigeria is also in the race to host the proposed African Space Agency, according to a top official in the agency, the country has offered $10million to the African Union to host the agency and is currently building a Satellite Assembly Integration and Test Centre at its headquarters.
September 17, 2018
Comparison between Nigeria & South Africa's space allocation
South Africa and Nigeria have always been in a supremacy battle on who is the number one in Africa.
According to the 2018 National Budget of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology received ₦75,677,747,631 ($209m) and ₦5,573,471,146 ($15.4m) of this was allocated to the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) headquarters located in Abuja. A total of ₦13,688,991,138 ($37.8m) was budgeted for space science and technology which is approximately 18.1% of the total budget of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
The breakdown of this allocation is:
Centre for Atmospheric Research ₦618,394,407 ($1.7m)
Advanced Space Technology Application Laboratory Uyo Akwa Ibom State ₦588,631,420 ($1.6m)
Advanced Aerospace Engine Laboratory Oka Akoko, Ondo State. ₦350,000,000 ($970k)
NASRDA Institute of Space Science and Engineering, Abuja ₦275,000,000 ($760k)
Zonal Advanced Space Technology Application, Kashere, Gombe State ₦250,000,000 ($691k)
Zonal Advanced Space Technology Application, Langtang, Plateau State ₦250,000,000 ($691k)
Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics – Toro Bauchi State ₦766,908,554 ($2.1m)
African Regional Centre for Space Education – Ile Ife, Osun State ₦661,825,984 ($1.8m)
Centre for Space Transport Propulsion – Epe, Lagos ₦1,199,579,288 ($3.3m)
Centre for Basic Space Science – Nsukka ₦1,052,103,658 ($2.9m)
National Centre for Remote Sensing – Jos, Plateau State ₦2,103,076,081 ($5.8m)
Nigeria’s Space allocation for 2018
This is a slight improvement on the 2017 budget which granted the National Space Agency headquarters ₦5,204,153,832 ($14.5m) while the total budget for space science and technology in 2017 was ₦10,535,073,754 ($29.3m)
In contrast, South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) budget this financial year increased to R7,79 billion ($550m) – out of this, the South African National Space Agency receives R138 million ($9.7m). This is an improvement on the last financial year’s budget for the space agency which was R131-million ($8.6m). The Square Kilometer Array project receives R709 million ($50m) this year; altogether, approximately, R 847 million ($60m) about 10.9% of the total budget of the department of science and technology is spent on space activities.
The allocation will be used to address transformation, through key research, development and support initiatives.
South Africa’s space allocation for 2018/2019 financial year
South Africa’s department of science and technology has more than twice the budget of Nigeria’s Ministry of science and technology even though only 10% of the budget is spent on space science and technology compared to Nigeria’s 18.1%. South Africa’s total allocation for space is $22.2m more than Nigeria’s.
The major part of South Africa’s funding is going into the SKA project with the agency also pioneering the Pan African Institute of Space Science in collaboration with CPUT. South Africa’s influence on Small Satellite development is top notch in Africa after building and launching 3 nanosatellites (ZACube-2, designed and built mainly by postgraduate students at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in conjunction with SANSA as part of the CubeSat programme will be launched before the end of 2018.
Nigeria on the other hand is working towards the establishment of an Institute of Space Science and Engineering which aim to offer postgraduate training and courses on space applications and space engineering. In the past, the centre has worked with local institutions like the Federal University of Technology, Akure on small sat development – the NigeriaEduSAT project and is also working with Landmark University on the development of another nano-satellite even though most of these endeavors are highly dependent on foreign partners. With the establishment of this institute, the nation is expected to build more capacity development on small satellite technologies and space applications.
Nigeria is also in the race to host the proposed African Space Agency, according to a top official in the agency, the country has offered $10million to the African Union to host the agency and is currently building a Satellite Assembly Integration and Test Centre at its headquarters.
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