Two of Nigeria’s three remaining satellites have expired, with the last one expected to reach the end of its life by 2026. Yet, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NARSDA) wants to spend N4.8 billion — about 40% of its 2024 capital expenditure budget — on constituency projects outside its mandate.
NARSDA has allocated N11.87 billion to capital projects for the year, but a budget review by FIJ reveals that N4.8 billion of this will fund 27 constituency projects spread across 11 states and six geopolitical zones.
These projects, far removed from NARSDA’s core responsibilities, include allocations to areas like Isi-Uzor in Enugu, Ibadan North in Oyo and Minna in Niger State.
PROJECTLOCATION COSTSupply Of Empowerment Materials To Indigent Women In Various Communities In Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency, Enugu StateEnugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency, Enugu StateN40,000,000Supply Of Cng Buses For Mass Transit In Minna And Environs In North CentralMinna, Niger State. North Central Geopolitical Zone N1,000,000,000.00Supply Of Totota Hilus Utility Sports For Sensitization Against Rape And Pre-Mature/Unwanted Pregnancy In Local Area Of Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Oyo StateIbadan North Federal Constituency, Oyo StateN80,000,000.00Youths Training And Empowerment For Self-Reliance On Renewable Energy Technologies In Katsina Central Senatorial District, Katsina StateKatsina State15,000,000.00Training On Information Technology In Selected Locations In The Six Geo-Political Zones.495,926,517.57Training And Empowerment Of Clergy, Traditional Rulers/Heads Of Communities On Conflict And Peace Resolution In Ibadan, Oyo State Ibadan170,000,000.00Supply Of New Modern Laptops To Indigent School Children In Various Communities In Enugu East/ Isiuzo Federal Constituency Enugu StateEnugu StateN20,000,000.00Provision Of All-In-One Solar 80-Watt Led Lights Streetlights With High Breed Lumen In Some Selected Schools And Communities In e And Environs North Central Zone.Minna, North Central Zone200,000,000.00Supply Of Motorcycles To Mbakpor CommunityN50,000,000.00Provision And Supply Of Large Metal Dustbins, Cleaning, And Sanitation Of Selected Communities In Oyo State Oyo StateN80,000,000.00Supply And Installation Of Three-In-One Solar Street Light In Kachia/Kagarko Federal Constituency, Kaduna StateKachia/Kagarko Federal Constituency, Kaduna StateN100,000,000.00Supply And Installation Of All-In-One Solar Street Light In Chanchaga Federal Constituency Niger StateChanchaga Federal Niger Constituency Niger StateN75,000,000.00Supply Of CNG Buses For Mass Transit In Minna And Environs In North Central.Minna And North CentralN1,000,000,000.00Provision Of Firefighter Truck And All Its Accessories In Ibadan, Oyo State 3Ibadan, Oyo StateN210,000,000.00Supply And Installation Of 500kva Transformer In Umunachi Obowo Lga, Imo StateObowo, Local Government Imo State₦20,000,000.00Supply And Construction Of Solar Lights In Selected Locations In The Six Geo-Political Zones.N495,926,517.57Provision Of Rural Electrification Of Some Farm Communities In Ogun State.Ogun StateN100,000,000.00Provision Of Sustainable Appliances In Toro Local Government Area, Bauchi StateToro Local Government, Bauchi State N100,000,000.00Provision Of Solar Street Lights In Zango/Baure Federal Constituency, Katsina StateBaure Federal Constituency, Katsina StateN15,000,000.00Provision Of Solar Street Lights In Malanmadori/Kaugama Federal Constituency Of Jigawa StateMalanmadori/Kaugama Federal Constituency Of Jigawa StateN25,000,000.00Provision Of Solar Street Light In Gwaram, Jigawa StateGwaram, Jigawa StateN15,000,000.00Provision Of Medical Outreach In Shira/Giade Local Government Area, Bauchi StateShira/Giade Local Government Area, Bauchi StateN100,000,000.00Provision Of Ict Centre For St. Charles Grammar School, Osogbo Osun StateOsogbo, Osun StateN100,000,000.00Provision Of Hand Pumps In Some Selected Communities In Jema’a/Sanga Federal Constituency In Kaduna StateJema’a/Sanga Federal Constituency In Kaduna StateN299,592,651.76Provision Of Hand Pump Boreholes In Kano South, Kano StateKano South N30,000,000.00Table of Misallocation by NARSDA. Source: Budget Office
Some of the most glaring misallocations include N80 million for rape and unwanted pregnancy advocacy in Oyo State, N170 million to empower religious leaders in Ibadan on conflict resolution and another N80 million for dustbins in selected communities in Oyo.
NEGLECTED SATELLITES, UNFULFILLED GOALS
While NARSDA wants to fund unrelated projects, its core mandate — space technology — is suffering. Out of the six satellites launched by Nigeria, only three — NigeriaSat-2, NigeriaSat-X, and NigComSat-1R — remain operational despite having exceeded their expected lifespans.
NigeriaSat-1 failed and was replaced by the NigComSat-1. NigComSat-1R, which was launched in 2011, has a 15-year lifespan. The satellite is already on its last leg and will expire by 2026. NigComSat-and EduSat-1, on the other hand, have both completed their missions.
In 2021, former NARSDA Director-General Haliu Shiba acknowledged that Nigeria’s satellites were outdated and were only operational “by grace”.
He also revealed, in an interview with Channels Television, that the agency lacked the necessary funds to launch new satellites or send an astronaut into space, despite its ambitious 2025 target.
That same year, Shiba explained why the agency could not provide adequate defense support because it did not have the capacity for security surveillance.
“The [Nigerian] satellite is not static where the insurgency is taking place. That is why one satellite is not adequate. What Nigeria has; there are some two satellites doing two different things,” HumAngle quoted Shiba in 2021.
“We have a high-resolution imaging satellite and a medium-resolution imaging satellite. The activities of the bandits could be when the satellite was away from Nigerian borders, so that is why we are advocating for more satellites for Nigeria.”
More recently in 2024, Shiba reiterated that the agency still did not have the funds to launch new satellites or send an astronaut into space, despite the 2025 performance target.
On a more positive note, NARSDA has recently hinted at promising developments for its space projects.
Current Director-General Matthew Adepoju announced partnerships with private entities, including the US-based Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) and Nigeria’s Proforce, targeted at developing new satellites and sending an astronaut to space.
However, the agency hinted at minimal reliance on funding by the Federal Government.
SIGNS OF BUDGET PADDING BY LAWMAKERS
There are indicators suggesting that NARSDA’s budget was padded by lawmakers during the budget review process in 2023.
In the agency’s proposed budget, for instance, none of the distinct constituency projects appeared. But after the supposed scrutiny of the legislators, the agency’s capital expenditure ballooned by over N9 billion. It went from N2 billion to N11.78 billion.
Isi-Uzor Constituency in Enugu received N60 million for women’s empowerment and laptops for schoolchildren, with NARSDA as the implementing agency. Kelvin Chukwu, the Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Science and Technology, represents the constituency.
Similarly, Kaduna’s Kachia/Kagarko Constituency received N100 million for solar streetlights. Saleh Zock, the lawmaker representing this constituency, is a member of the House Committee on Telecommunications and Information Technology.
In Ibadan North Federal Constituency, N80 million was allocated for vehicles used to be used in rape and unwanted pregnancy advocacy. This federal constituency was under the leadership of the late Olaide Akinremi, former Chairman of the House Committee on Science Research Institutions.
Quite ironically, Ilyas Abbas, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, had publicly lamented the inadequate funding for science agencies in December 2023.
This misplacement of resources is not unique to NARSDA. FIJ had earlier reported how more than 2,558 projects worth N624 billion were allocated to agencies outside their mandates in the 2024 federal budget.
FIJ also recently reported how the Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology in Niger State paid N917 million for medical supplies, tricycles and security vehicles to communities in Lagos and Ogun in March.
The post Nigeria’s Satellites Are Expiring Yet Space Agency Allocates 40% of 2024 Budget — N4.8b — to Lawmakers’ Constituency Projects appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.