Buhari urges African Nations to patronize Nigerian Communication Satellite

*Directs NIGCOMSAT to synergize with aviation sector in 54 African countries OVER SBAS implementation

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Nigerian Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) to collaborate with the aviation sector in the 54 African countries towards a successful implementation of the Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) in Africa.

He urged African nations to consider the Nigerian Communications Satellite 1R (NigComSat1R) when the need arises in their various countries.

Declaring open the workshop on SBAS implementation in Aviation in Africa, Buhari noted that Nigerian Communication Satellite has the capacity to cover 54 African countries, adding that the satellite covers part of the Atlantic and Indian Ocean and also, covers parts of Asia and Europe.

Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, explained that the satellite in Nigeria has the capacity to provide navigation overlay services as well as the capacity to support the implementation of the Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) not only in Nigeria but in the whole of Africa.

The President observed that the deployment of SBAS by using the navigation overlay services will significantly improve the accuracy of the signal, its availability and integrity.

He said: “This shows that communication and digital technology is the key enablers of all other sectors. Security, defense, health, agriculture, education and aviation sectors depend on digital technology. Security and defence systems depend largely on digital technologies which is what the 4th industrial revolution is all about.

“The Nigerian Communications Satellite 1R is a federal government investment, which is a hybrid satellite that can provide navigation overlay service.

“The satellite is operational and functional; it covers the whole of Africa, which is a minimum of 3,370,000km from North to South, 8,000kms from East to West.”

Earlier, the Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Engr. Tukur Lawal said that the workshop was organized to demonstrate the benefits of the future operational safety-of-life SBAS services, which are expected to be fully operational soon to aviation and non-aviation stakeholders with disruptive applications.

He stated that NIGCOMSAT-1R Navigation (L-Band) payload provides Navigation Overlay Services, which have disruptive applications not only in the aviation sector but the non-aviation sector as well.

According to Lawal, the African Space-based Augmentation System with Pseudo Random Noise (PRN) code 147 conforms to the global augmentation systems standard to enhance interoperability, compatibility and zero interference aimed to attain a safe and precise satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) for value proposition and productivity over Africa and beyond.

He said: “The Nigerian aviation sector is no doubt, a vibrant one. They have further demonstrated commitment to taking the sector to a world-class state with Satellite-Based System to complement African runways and airports with little or no instrument Landing Systems (ILS). It is on this premise that we sought the partnership and approval of the Federal Ministry of Aviation to demonstrate SBAS flight within Nigerian Airspace to explore and utilize the capability and capacity of the NIGCOMSAT-1R Communications Satellite as designed and built.

“The Nigerian Communications Satellite 1R (NigComSat1R) has L-Band transponders (L1 and L5) onboard, meant to provide navigation overlay (NOS) in Africa and beyond. This is Africa s first contribution to Global Navigation Satellite”, Lawal stated.