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Tag: NASRDA

  • Solar eclipse to occur on Sunday – NASRDA

    The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) said on Thursday that there would be a partial Solar eclipse across the country on Sunday.

    Dr Felix Ale, Head of Media and Corporate Communications, made the disclosure in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    “A partial solar eclipse will be visible all over the country with different degree of totality to occur on Sunday, Feb. 26,’’ he said.

    According to Ale, the highest degree of obscurity in the country during the natural occurrence will be observed in the southern part of Nigeria, particularly Port Harcourt, Uyo and Calabar.

    He said these areas were expected to have about 33 per cent obscurity, while the lowest degree obscurity would be about nine per cent in the northern part of Nigeria, particularly in Kebbi.

    Ale noted that in the South-West, the level of obscurity would be 23 per cent at about 5.42 p.m. and 6.30 p.m.

    He, however, said it would be recording 28 to 30 per cent between 4.45 p.m. and 6.33 p.m. in the South-East.

    “Meanwhile, the level of obscurity in Abuja, the Federal Capital City (FCT) will be 20 per cent between 4.54 p.m. and 6.30 p.m.,” he said.

    He stressed that the solar eclipse would be observed across the nation, thereby making each part of the country a great site for viewing the eclipse at different degree of obscurity.

    According to him, the solar disc will be covered by the moon as seen from the earth and the eclipse will be visible as much as there is clear sky without rain or cloud.

    He, however, said there was no cause for alarm or reason to panic as the solar eclipse was a natural occurrence and should be seen as part of the beauties of nature

  • NASRDA, Landmark sign MoU on research

    NASRDA, Landmark sign MoU on research

    LandMark University (LMU), Omu-Aran in Kwara State, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) on the use of space technology to boost agriculture.

    The institution is the first private university to partner the agency on research development in agriculture.

    The university’s Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Aize Obayan, who made this known to reporters during the signing in Abuja at the weekend, said the deal would assist the institution deploy technology from the agency on agriculture.

    According to Obayan, the data gathered by NASDRA would also assist the institution in software, satellite, space application and agricultural development.

    She said: “We, at LMU, have a serious approach to driving agriculture. Food security is something we take seriously. We must do agriculture differently from the way our fore fathers did agriculture

    She continued: “To boost food security is beyond doing agriculture the way it has always been done; this is from a scientific, mechanised, automated perspective. In view of this, we need information about weather condition, we need information about the seasons and a lot of other issues that always arise in the course of agricultural development and are controlled from the centres embeded in NASRDA.

    “A lot of data is gathered from satellite and it will open Landmark up to seeing how, in areas of software application, satellite application and space application in the area of agricultural development involvement.

    “This is very key as the university is looking at how to break new grounds in attaining new frontiers in agricultural development. The emphasis of government on agriculture now is central, considering that oil has failed the nation.”

    Under the partnership, she said the institution would consider setting up aero space engineering and space physics for students who have interest to study.

    “People come to the university to study Biological Science and others but beyond the basis, there are lots they can delve into. There are possibilities of working towards setting up Aero Space Engineering and Space Physics and those things that many universities are not offering right now. With all these in place, we are working towards what will make us a leading world class university,” she added.

    NASRDA Director-General Prof Saidu Mohammed, said the agency would support the institution in its drive to develop agriculture.

    According to him, space technology remains the only means to drive businesses and achieve better results.

    He said: “I want to assure you that we would stand by you (LMU); and in order to get to that destination we need to formalise our relationship today.

    “By this signature today my people will swing into action. They will release to you all the research data available in this country for free.

    ‘’By the quarter of 2018, this centre will have achieved 20 PhDs. Your university can key into this. This is what is done in India and Brazil. We need to break new grounds. With this collaboration, our alliance has grown.

    “Space technology remains the technology of choice. It is the driver of business, it is the driver of most government activities and we believe working with you in several areas will go a long way in enhancing the capacity and the capability of your university.”

     

  • NASRDA predicts lunar eclipse Sept. 28

    NASRDA predicts lunar eclipse Sept. 28

    The National Space Research and Development Agency NASRDA, has said there will be a Lunar Eclipse in Nigeria on Sept. 28.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Director Media and Corporate Communications of the agency, Mr Felix Ale in Abuja.

    The agency said the lunar eclipse would begin on Monday, Sept. 28 from 1:11am, and will be at its maximum by 3:47 am, with its final contact at 6:22am.

    [ad id=”403656″]According to the statement Lunar eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when the earth comes in-between the sun and the moon, and the earth casts its shadow on the moon, so that the moon appears reddish.

    “ The lunar eclipse which is also called the blood moon will be observed in some regions around the world.

    “Some of the regions seeing at least some parts of the eclipse include, Europe, South/East Asia, Africa, much of North America, much of South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, and Antarctica,“ it said.

    It said the lunar eclipse would be viewed in Nigeria especially in locations with the absence of cloud cover.

    “Furthermore, the lunar eclipse will be visible in Abuja, and would begin from 1:11am, with total eclipse at 3:47am, and end by 6:22am.

    “Nigerians are advised not to panic, and to go about their normal activities as it is just an astronomical event which will last for 5 hours 11 minutes,“ the agency said.

  • Nigeria loses billions annually to foreign satellites

    Nigeria loses billions annually to foreign satellites

    The nation is said to lose billions in revenue to foreign satellites and technology firms.

    Making this disclosure recently was Prof. Seidu Onailo Mohammed, Director- General/Chief Executive, National Air Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

    The NASRDA boss, who was a guest speaker at a forum organised by the Institute of Credit Administration (ICA) in Lagos, said it was disheartening to note that the country loses a lot of revenue to capital flight as Africa, including Nigeria patronise mostly foreign satellite communications companies.

    “Unfortunately Nigeria has only one satellite firm, which is the NigComSat-1R. It must interest you to note that huge revenues are being generated from Africa to other part of the world, because many organisations and ministries and departmental agencies are using foreign satellites.”

    To address this inadequacy, the don urged the establishment of a legal and regulatory framework for satellite operators in Nigeria with a view to drive patronage for the Nigerian-made satellite.

    Speaking earlier, the Registrar/Chief Executive, ICA, Prof. Chris Onalo said the Institute remains committed towards the growth and development of the various economic sectors; hence, it has continued to contribute to the dialectics of nation-building through engaging different stakeholder groups.

  • Nigeria loses N20b in call drops, says NASRDA chief

    Nigeria loses N20b in call drops, says NASRDA chief

    The nation lost N20 billion to call drops last year, the Director-General, National Air Space and Research Development Agency (NASRDA) Prof Seidu Mohammed has said.

    He stated this in Abuja at a lecture by the agency to commemorate the launch of the first communication satellite (Syncom2 ) on July 26, 1963 in the United States.

    He said the loss could have been avoided through the use of modern communication satellites, adding that the agency was intensifying efforts to ensure that Nigeria enjoys greater benefits of modern communication satellites.

    “The Economic Intelligence Unit in the United States published that in 2012 alone, Nigeria lost N20 billion in call drops that could have been avoided and remedied by modern communication satellites,”he added.

    Stressing that the agency would continue to develop communication satellites to promote the economic development of the country, Mohammed said the communication satellite is a “multi-billion dollars” industry that gives high returns on investments.

    He also said revenue for services from communications satellite in 2011 alone, was $90 billion, comprising satellite TV, satellite radio and broadband.

    “In addition, $16billion revenue accrued to the industry in the same year from transborder agreement and managed services. The West Africa region with a projected population of 392 million in 2013 is a major market yet to be explored,” he said.

    Mohammed called on the private sector to cash-in and invest in the industry, particularly in West African.

    He said the emphasis to the private sector is for them to demonstrate and show clear commitment at this time since international telecommunications are increasingly competitive in global markets and there are rapid changes to technological capabilities.

  • Nigeria lost N20b to call drops in 2012 – NASRDA

    Nigeria lost N20b to call drops in 2012 – NASRDA

    The Director General, National Air Space and Research Development Agency, Prof. Seidu Mohammed, said on Tuesday that the nation lost a whooping 20 billion to call drops last year.

    He explained that the lost could easily have been avoided by the impact of modern communication satellites.

    Mohammed added that the agency is intensifying efforts to ensure that Nigeria enjoys greater benefits of modern communication satellites.

    The NASRDA boss stated these in Abuja at a lecture organized by the agency to commemorate the launch of the first communication satellite (Syncom2) in July 26, 1963 in United States.

    This, according to him, necessitated the first conversation between the First Nigerian Prime Minister, the late Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and the then American President, John Kennedy in August 23, 1963.

    He said, “The Economic Intelligence Unit in the United States published that in 2012 alone, Nigeria lost N20 billion in call drops that could have been avoided and remedied by modern communication satellites.”

    Why stressing that the agency will continue to develop communication satellites to promote economic development of Nigeria, Mohammed hinted that communication satellite industry is a “multibillion dollars” industry that gives high returns on investments.