By Juliet Umeh

The National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA, has achieved another milestone for Nigeria and Africa with the successful connection of Nigerian students to the International Space Station, ISS, in a live interactive session with NASA astronaut, Zena Cardman.

According to a statement by the Director, Media and Corporate Communications of the Agency, Dr. Felix Ale, the historic exercise, the first of its kind in Nigeria, took place at NASRDA Headquarters in Abuja. It brought together students from various schools across the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

The event was attended by NASRDA’s Director General and Chief Executive, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, top management staff of the Agency, school administrators, students and key stakeholders in science and technology education.

In his welcome address, Dr. Adepoju described the development as a “record-breaking stride” in Africa’s space exploration journey. He said the initiative was strategically designed to inspire and nurture the interest of young Nigerians in space science and technology.

He noted that the students remain the hope of the nation and urged them to appreciate the purposeful leadership of President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Geoffrey Nnaji, whom he credited for accelerating Nigeria’s advancement in science and technology.

Adepoju also commended Mrs. Joy Olayiwola, the programme coordinator, and the team at GeoApps Plus Limited, for what he described as a “giant stride” in the growth of Nigeria’s space programme.

As part of the programme, Mr. Tope Owolabi of the Department of Physical and Life Sciences delivered a presentation on the global relevance and practical applications of space science, including earth observation, satellite technology and medical innovations.

The highlight of the event was a live question-and-answer session moderated by Stefan Dombrowski from Belgium and John Sygo from South Africa. Students engaged freely with astronaut Zena Cardman, who gave insightful responses to their questions. The session was widely described as inspiring, educational and memorable.

Speaking further, the Managing Director of GeoApps Plus Limited, Mr. Emmanuel Onwuabuariri, commended Dr. Adepoju for his visionary leadership and assured that future editions of the programme would be bigger and more impactful.

The event concluded with the presentation of certificates of attendance to participating schools by the NASRDA boss, who again urged the students to imbibe a culture of continuous learning and to channel their energy and talents toward nation-building.