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Tag: SERA

  • SERA opens seat for Nigeria’s astronaut selection

    SERA opens seat for Nigeria’s astronaut selection

    Nigeria will select its next space representative through an expanded democratic astronaut selection process, launched yesterday by the Space Exploration Research Agency (SERA).

    The initiative promotes community-selected space representation for Nigeria, India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Thailand, with citizens voting for their representatives through a blockchain-powered platform.

    The program transforms space access from an exclusive institutional selection to one that involves public participation. Unlike traditional astronaut programs requiring military backgrounds or advanced degrees, SERA’s Mission Control platform on Telegram enables anyone from partner nations to apply and compete for community support.

        “After the success of SERA’s inaugural space flight in 2022, were scaling democratic space access to five nations simultaneously, plus a global seat,” said Joshua Skurla, SERA co-founder. Nigeria’s seat means someone from any background can represent their nation in space based on community choice.

        The approach builds on SERA’s demonstrated success in sending Victor Hespanha, selected from the SERA community, to become South America’s first civilian astronaut on Blue Origin’s New Shepard. That mission validated both the selection process and global appetite for community participation in space exploration. For Nigeria, this represents a historic opportunity to build on the country’s recent achievements in space.

        Director, Media and Corporate Communications at National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr. Felix Ale, in a statement, explained that while Nigeria has pursued space exploration through its NASRDA and witnessed Chief Owolabi Salis’s self-funded Blue Origin flight, SERA offers the first community-selected civilian astronaut pathway. This partnership aligns with our vision of expanding Nigeria’s space presence beyond satellites to human spaceflight,” Director General of NASRDA, Dr. Matthew Olumide Adepoju, said. SERA’s democratic approach ensures Nigerian representation reflects our diverse population’s aspirations.

        Dr. Anne Agi, President of Learnspace Foundation, which facilitated the partnership between SERA and NASRDA, emphasized the broader mission. “We’re building bridges between communities, institutions, and industry to ensure Nigeria’s journey to human spaceflight is not only historic but inclusive and connected to the global movement for shared exploration.”

    Read Also: Wikipedia lists Owolabi Salis as first Nigerian Astronaut

        The selection process operates through SERA Mission Control, a Telegram mini-app built on TON Blockchain for transparent voting. Candidates complete challenges to earn SpaceDust points and compete for their nation’s guaranteed seat. The blockchain infrastructure prevents manipulation while enabling global participation through the accessible Telegram platform.

        “We’re opening space to people who never imagined it possible,” said Sam Hutchison, SERA co-founder. A teacher in Abuja or a content creator in Lagos can now compete for Nigeria’s space seat through community engagement, not just academic credentials.”

        Six seats are reserved for the upcoming Blue Origin mission—five allocated to partner nations, with a sixth open to citizens from any country. The programme includes a Science Platform where communities can submit and vote on experiments, creating decentralized research opportunities.

        SERA addresses the representation gap in space exploration. While around 800 people have traveled to space since 1961, none from Nigeria, India, Indonesia, Thailand, or most developing nations have flown as community-selected civilian astronauts despite representing billions of global citizens.

        “SERA Mission Control represents space exploration reimagined for social media users,” said Max Crown, CEO of TON Foundation. By launching on TON within Telegram, SERA transforms space travel from a distant concept into an interactive, community-driven experience.”

        The platform represents one of the most ambitious consumer applications built on TON Blockchain, showcasing practical Web3 applications beyond financial uses. Transparent voting addresses fairness concerns while gamified engagement drives sustained participation.

        Applications open immediately through the SERA Mission Control Telegram app, with voting and selection timelines to be announced. Selected astronauts will undergo standard Blue Origin safety training before their spaceflight missions.

  • Shell wins SERAs’ CSR innovations awards

    Shell wins SERAs’ CSR innovations awards

    Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCiN) has won two trophies at the 10th Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards (SERAs) in Lagos.

    Known as the Corporate Social Responsibility Awards, SERAs instituted the awards to celebrate companies that have impacted positively in their environments.

    At this edition, Shell Nigeria’s kinetic pitch won in the Innovation Award category, beating seven other nominees. It also won the Best Company in the  Climate Action category, beating five other competitors.

    Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company’s (SNEPCo’s) General Manager, Deepwater Production, Effy Okon, led its team which comprised General Manager, External Relations, Igo Weli; External Relations Communications Manager Sola Abulu; Head, Business Relations, Alan Udi; and Social Performance Discipline Adviser Hope Nuka, to receive the awards.

    Twenty-six awards were won by corporate organisations and individuals in recognition of their sustainable development and social investment efforts in Africa, including the President of Botswana, Ian Khama.

    Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria and Managing Director of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC), Osagie Okunbor, said: “We are pleased at the recognition of our contributions to the development of Nigeria. Corporate Social Responsibility is an idea, which Shell has given priority, and the company is working to improve its partnership with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), governments and communities to deliver on its promise of developing human and material resources.”

  • ExxonMobil, NB, others beat The SERAs’entry deadline

    TruContact CSR Nigeria, organisers of the yearly Nigeria CSR awards otherwise known as The SERAs have announced receiving   47 entries from participating organisations for the 2015 Awards.

    Entries were received from ExxonMobil, Nigerian Breweries, Lafarge, Total, Cornerstone Insurance, Etisalat, BATN, Airtel, DHL, Nigerian Stock Exchange, FCMB, Promasidor, First Bank amongst others

    The award that is Nigeria’s top CSR and sustainability honour enters in ninth year. The awards process is designed to integrate principles and framework of the Global compact, global reporting Initiative and ISO 26000.

    The SERAs is reputed to be the major promoter and force behind galvanising businesses across various sectors and industries in Nigeria to imbibe the ethos of CSR and sustainability in Nigeria.

    The theme of the 2015 awards is – Building partnerships for a sustainable future; business leadership as a catalyst for development. This seeks to highlight the lessons learned from Nigeria’s inability to completely attain the millennium development goals targets and building on the lessons of the MDG’s to begin a move towards attaining the sustainability development goals (SDG’s), and also promoting the vital roles that cooperation and partnerships will play in efforts to achieve the SDG’s.

    All is set for the commencement of verification and facility visit to projects and locations entered by the organisations. The SERA involves the production of an annual Nigeria Social Enterprise Report that documents the CSR and sustainability interventions of corporate organisations countrywide.

    Meanwhile, the organisers have released a call for entry for the Tunmise Adekunle Awards for CSR reporting, a category introduced in 2009 to promote media excellence in reporting CSR and sustainability in Nigeria. Entries for this category close on September 21.

    The awards ceremony is billed to hold on November 14 at 6p.m. at Shell Hall, MUSON Centre.

  • Shell wins stakeholder engagement, human rights awards

    Shell wins stakeholder engagement, human rights awards

    Shell Companies in Nigeria have been named the best in sustainable stakeholder engagement and promotion of human rights in the annual Social Enterprise Report and Awards (SERAs).

    Shell also emerged the first runner-up in the overall SERAs CSR awards for the most responsible Nigerian company, while it was nominated for its sterling performance in five other categories – Infrastructure; Sustainability Report; Supply Chain; Partnership for Development; and Income and Wealth Generation at award programme held on Saturday in Lagos.

    “The Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) initiative, among others, stood Shell companies out in stakeholder engagement, while its human rights training programme cannot go unrecognised,” the award organisers said.

    The organisers recognised the efforts of the Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria and Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC,), Mutiu Sunmonu and named him Sustainability Champion.

    “We are grateful for the recognition of our efforts which began since we set foot in the Niger Delta in the 1950s,” Sunmonu said when he received the awards.

    “The awards are a challenge for me and my colleagues in Shell and we shall remain in the forefront of converting Nigeria’s oil and gas resources to more jobs and opportunities for Nigerians.”

    SERAs aim to recognise corporate bodies who invest in society through CSR progammes. Shell Companies in Nigeria have won the award in six different categories in the last eight years ago.

  • Shell bags SERA awards

    Shell bags SERA awards

    L-R: Manager, NGOs and Stakeholders Relations, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Dr. Alice Ajeh; Senior Business Advisor, Mr. Ed Ubong; Senior Advisor, Shell International, the Netherlands, Mr. Osagie Okunbor; Managing Director SPDC and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu; Head, Government Relations, Mr. Evans Krukrubo; and Head, Legal and Company Secretary, Mrs. Nike Olafimihan, at the 2014 Social Enterprise Report and Awards Ceremony in Lagos on Saturday where Shell emerged the best Nigerian company in Stakeholder Engagement and in Human Rights, and the second most responsible Nigerian company.
    L-R: Manager, NGOs and Stakeholders Relations, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Dr. Alice Ajeh; Senior Business Advisor, Mr. Ed Ubong; Senior Advisor, Shell International, the Netherlands, Mr. Osagie Okunbor; Managing Director SPDC and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu; Head, Government Relations, Mr. Evans Krukrubo; and Head, Legal and Company Secretary, Mrs. Nike Olafimihan, at the 2014 Social Enterprise Report and Awards Ceremony in Lagos on Saturday where Shell emerged the best Nigerian company in Stakeholder Engagement and in Human Rights, and the second most responsible Nigerian company.

  • CSR: SERA Award holds tomorrow

    The Social Enterprise Award (SERA), otherwise known as the Nigeria CSR Awards is holding tomorrow at MUSON center, Onikan, Lagos.

    The annual ceremony has grown to become the epicenter of corporate social responsibility industry in Nigeria and rates, as one is the most credible award giving body in the country.

    The SERAs recognises the contributions of the most socially responsible organisations doing businesses in Nigeria.

    Over 64 entries were submitted this year and the verification of entries and projects took place from July to August, 2014.

    The 2014 winner of the Governor of the year is Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan – The executive governor of Delta State. Keynote is to be delivered by Senator Liyel Imoke- The Executive Governor of Cross River State. Others to be honoured as sustainability champions include Mrs Obioma Liyel Imoke, the First Lady of  Cross River  State; Mr Mukul Mathur- MD, Olam Nigeria; Mr Tony Elumelu – Chairman, Heirs Holdings.

    According to Mr. Ken Egbas, the Chief Responsibility Officer and Founder of CSR Nigeria and the SERAs, “This year is exciting for us as we embark on our eighth year and I would always equate the number eight to infinity. This is the start of more meaningful engagement of SERAs and all organisations that are giving back to the society. We have already set a standard in the industry and we strive to be better annually. The Social Enterprise Report- compendium of best practices in CSR and sustainability will also be launched at the event.”

    Nineteen organisations made the final nominees list across twenty categories. The list of finalist includes- Nigerian Breweries, Shell, Exxon Mobil, Airtel, Fidelity Bank, Etisalat, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, Cornerstone Insurance, Samsung, GT Bank, Promasidor, UBA, Access Bank, Oando Foundation, Total, Lafarge, Nestle, DHL and First Bank.