Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) limited, the operator of NigComSat-1R (the Nigerian Communication Satellite) has been announced the winner of the bid to provide In –Orbit Test (IOT) and Carrier Spectrum Monitoring (CSM) Services for Belintersat-1 Satellite.

The announcement by China Great Wall Industries Corporation (CGWIC) was contained in a press statement by Head Public Affairs of NIGCOMSAT, Adamu Idris. CGWIC is a renowned satellite manufacturing company in China and a technical partner to NIGCOMSAT Ltd.

Belintersat-1 is a communication satellite owned by the government of Belarus, manufactured and due for launch in January 2016 by CGWIC.

The IOT/CSM Services agreement has been signed between NIGCOMSAT and CGWIC and work has since commenced. By this engagement, NIGCOMSAT would support the activities of CGWIC by providing necessary facilities to test communication payload of the Belintersat-1 Satellite over Africa using the NIGCOMSAT Ltd Ground Station infrastructure located in Abuja.

NIGCOMSAT LTD will also provide CSM services to monitor the performance of Belintersat-1 and transmit the data in real-time to Belarus for the life of the satellite.

This is a big feat for Nigeria and clearly shows that NIGCOMSAT and indeed Nigeria has developed the capacity to provide highly technical services in the satellite communication industry, in addition to its traditional services of transponder leasing, broadband services, enterprise solutions, secured communications & solutions amongst others over Nigeria and other African countries such as Gabon and Cote D’Ivoire.

The Honourable Minister of Communication, Adamu Adamu, will be leading a Nigerian delegation to witness the launch of the Belintersat-1 in January 2016, and to discuss other related partnerships and ways to further improve, deepen and strengthen the Sino-Nigeria relationship.