By John Ikani
Nigeria is reaching for the stars with the country set to send its first citizen into space.
This move follows the signing of an agreement with a US company, Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA), to develop a human space flight program.
The announcement, made by the head of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Mathew Adepoju, marks a big moment for Nigeria’s space program, which has been around for 25 years.
The partnership with SERA will allow Nigeria to do more science in space and develop new technologies. It also puts Nigeria on the map as a serious player in space exploration.
“This is a big step forward for our space program goals,” Adepoju said. He mentioned that Nigeria created a special department a few years ago to focus on space research and prepare for this very mission.
Space Mission for All Nigerians
Nigeria’s government official in charge of science, Chief Uche Nnaji, explained that sending a citizen to space has always been a key part of the country’s space plans.
He added that the plan was originally to do this by 2018, but there have been some delays. “This agreement shows we’re still committed to making this happen,” Nnaji said.
The coolest part? This space mission is open to everyone in Nigeria! Sam Hutchison, from SERA, explained that anyone over 18 can apply to be an astronaut.
Nigerians will get to choose the top four candidates, and then one person will be picked for the space mission. The whole process will be open and fair.
“You don’t need to be a scientist or an engineer to apply,” Hutchison said. He added that Nigeria was chosen as a partner because of their strong desire to explore space in the future.
