Abuja:As Nigeria celebrates its 66th independence anniversary, the country’s development is undergoing a gestation period, according to Prof. Matthew Adepoju, Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Adepoju emphasized the need for patience, strategic decisions, and sustained investment in critical infrastructure to realize the expected dividends of national development. He likened the process to a gestation period, requiring time and effort before yielding results.
The NASRDA chief highlighted Nigeria’s significant achievements in space science and technology over the past 66 years, positioning the nation as a leader on the African continent. Nigeria has launched seven satellites, utilizing their services for communication, earth observation, astronomy, and other applications. Notably, Nigerian engineers developed NigeriaSat-X, the first satellite made by Africans.
He also mentioned Nigeria’s efforts to expand its capacity for monitoring seismic activities, with three monitoring stations in Abuja and a total of 21 nationwide, with more to be added.
Adepoju underscored the importance of collective effort, patience, and commitment to progress, noting that the country’s independence anniversary was an opportunity to reflect on past achievements and strengthen the foundation for future development. He expressed optimism that Nigerians would appreciate the transformation from current investments and reforms in the coming decade.