NIGCOMSAT plans new satellite, to collaborate with telcos

Satellite operator, NIGCOMSAT, said that plans are on to launch a new satellite, NigComSat-2. The Federal Government agency said the planned new satellite represents the next phase of its commitment to advancing Nigeria’s space capabilities and providing world-class satellite services.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NIGCOMSAT Ltd, Mrs. Jane Egerton-Idehen, who disclosed this in Lagos, yesterday at a one-day sensitisation training for journalists, said NigComSat-2 satellite will significantly enhance the capacity to deliver robust, high-speed communication services across Nigeria and beyond.

Egerton-Idehen represented by Assistant General Manager, Communications, NIGCOMSAT, Aisha Bantam, said the new satellite will support a wide range of applications, including broadband Internet, telemedicine and e-learning, among others.

According to her, this new satellite, whose launch is in the immediate future, will also enable the agency to better serve critical sectors such as agriculture, security health and education, driving economic growth and improving the quality of life for Nigerians.

“The launch of NigComSat-2 satellite is not just a technological milestone; it attests to Nigeria’s growing prowess in the global space industry and underscores our resolve to harness the power of space technology for national development.

“As we continue on this path of growth and innovation, our commitment to providing reliable, high-quality satellite communication service is unwavering, and we are continuously innovating to meet the growing demands of our digital economy,” she stated.

The need for a new satellite comes as NIGCOMSAT-1R, operational since 2011, will complete its 15-year lifespan in 2026. Recall that the NigComSat-1R satellite, launched to replace the failed NigComSat-1 in 2007, is encountering challenges with low patronage. Former Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, previously advocated replacing the satellite and proposed securing a $550 million loan from China-Exim Bank to acquire two new satellites as backups.

In 2021, former MD of NIGCOMSAT, Dr Abimbola Alale, also announced that the company was about to acquire two more satellites between then and 2025. Egerton-Idehen the organisation has embarked on a significant journey to reposition itself as a leader in satellite communications and space technology, not only in Nigeria but across the African continent.

According to her, work is on to upgrade infrastructure, and hubs at Lagos and Abuja to provide communication solutions that meet global standards with new partnerships to provide connectivity in rural and underserved areas.

MEANWHILE, while the move for a new satellite is intensified, NIGCOMSAT said it is ready to assist telecoms companies in improving service quality across the country.

The satellite company said it was out to allow the telcos leverage on its solutions and services to improve service offerings, even as it offers to avail them opportunities with its original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to access equipment and services, which can be paid in local currency, to circumvent the difficult forex route the telcos pass through to bring in most facilities.

Head, Marketing and Stakeholders’ Engagement, Olufunke Fagbeja, stated this at the meeting, saying NIGCOMSAT’s mission has always been to bridge the digital divide and ensure that every corner of Nigeria has access to reliable and efficient communication services.

She said: “In NIGCOMSAT, we believe in strategic partnerships. We believe in partnering to deliver not only services but also values to end users. But as much as we believe in strategic partnerships, it also depends on the other party. So, partnership with the telcos will bear fruits and we are actually having conversations with them to ensure they leverage our products, services and also contacts. We can help improve the quality of telephony services in the country.”