The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) is set to commence the implementation of its space regulation and licensing mandate with N20 billion take-off fund approved by President Bola Tinubu.
The Director-General of NASRDA, Dr Matthew Adepoju, said this on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Adepoju said the regulatory function of the agency as encapsulated in NASDRA Act (2010) had remained unfulfilled since its establishment in 1999.
He spoke against the background of NASRDA stakeholders’ workshop on space regulation scheduled for April 8.
He said on assumption of office he raised a memo to President Bola Tinubu on the need to enforce the regulatory functions of NASDRA.
According to him, this is in line with the provisions of Section 6 and 9 of the laws establishing it, adding that Tinubu eventually approved the take-off fund.
“When I raised that memo stating that our space can no longer be unregulated, Mr President graciously approved the take-off fund of N20 billion few months ago.
“This is to enable us to commence the space regulation and spectrum management in Nigeria.
“Although times and lots of activities happened that have security implications but if we don’t take charge of our space sector, it will continue to be misused,’’ Adepoju said.
Adepoju said the agency was yet to access the N20 billion, adding that release of funds was always subject to its availability.
“Within the framework of what is possible for us to do now, we’ve set up the platform and we are commencing our regulatory and licensing functions,” he told NAN.
