National Points of Contact
Nigeria
Etim Offiong	James Chibueze
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SGAC Nigeria

A hearty welcome to the SGAC Nigeria page! Nigeria has seen a lot of development in space and satellite technology in the past decade. Youth participation and orientation in space related issues has been quite low with slight improvement in recent years. Thus, our aims are to educate as many Nigerian youth as possible about space and its peaceful uses. If you would like to know more about SGAC and space, then join us! Feel free to contact the Nigerian NPoCs at anytime.

Young Space Activities Overview in Nigeria

SGAC Nigeria in collaboration with National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) activity centers [especially Centre for Space Science and Technology Education (CSSTE) and the Center for Basic Space Sciences (CBSS)] and some Nigerian universities, holds a series of space related seminars. NASRDA, through its activity centers organise space and astronomy outreach activities, which sometimes feature rocket propulsion principle demonstrations in high schools and at some universities. SGAC Nigeria hopes to reach more young minds in our country to raise awareness about space and its many terrestrial benefits. Future priorities will involve getting more and more youths involved in SGAC Nigeria activities and establishing an online group for easy communications.

• SGAC Nigeria Essay competition: Deadline for submission: April 2nd, 2011. For more details contact any of the NPoCs.
• SGAC Nigeria/ARCSSTE Satellite Tool Kit (STK) workshop to be held at ARCSSTE in the 1st quarter of 2011.
• Nigerian Astronomical Society (NAS) meeting which would be held on the 7th of February, 2011 at the Center for Basic Space Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
• SGAC Nigeria/CBSS Astronomy & Space Physics workshop to be held at the Center for Basic Space Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka in the 3st quarter of 2011.
• African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education (ARCSSTE) has many interesting outreach programs for secondary schools and a postgraduate diploma program in space technology and satellite communications which has been attended by many young university graduates from all over Africa. Updates of these activities will be posted in due time.
• National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) announces official launch date for Nigeria's second and third earth observation satellites to be both launched in February 2011: After the launch of the first earth observation micro-satellite, NigeriaSat-1 in September 2003, the first pan-African communication satellite, NigcomSat-1 in May 2007 Nigeria's NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X are following in the first quarter of 2011. NigeriaSat-2 is a high-resolution earth observation satellite with a two panchromatic resolutions(2.5m and 5m) and 32 m multispectral resolution. NigeriaSat-X, with a payload capable of 22 m resolution, was reportedly built solely by Nigerian engineers and scientists to showcase Nigeria’s capacity in satellite technology. Read more in the link above.

Interesting Web Links for the Young Generation in Nigeria

National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA): http://www.nasrda.net/
Center for Space Science and Technology Education (CSSTE): http://www.oauife.edu.ng/research/arcsstee/index.htm
Center for Basic Space Sciences (CBSS): http://www.cbssonline.com/