Nigeria, India sign agreement on outer space cooperation

Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India on cooperation in the exploration and uses of outer space for economic purposes.

The agreement was signed by the two counties during a virtual meeting monitored in Abuja on Thursday.

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The Minister of Science and Technology,  Ogbonnaya Onu, signed the MOU on behalf of the Nigerian Government; while the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. Abhay Thakur signed on behalf of the Government of India.

The signing ceremony was also witnessed by the Defence attaché of the Indian High Commission, Col. Saghih Dubey and the Acting DG of (NARSDA), Dr. Francis Chizea.

Speaking after the signing of the agreement, Onu said it would strengthen the deep historic ties between both nations in terms of socio-economic development, space exploration, environmental safety and trade.

He further said that the two nations had made relentless efforts in ensuring global peace, adding that “Nigeria and India share many historic ties, as both nations have been working closely to ensure global peace”.

The signing of the MOU is a right step in the right direction, as it would accelerate Nigeria’s economic transformation from a resource-based to a knowledge and Innovation driven economy,  Onu added.

Earlier, speaking through digital video link, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri Muraleedharan, had said the MOU would be of mutual socio-economic benefits to both countries.