By Dwelleth Morountodun
The Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Ltd. has signed agreement with Thales Alenia Space in Toulouse, France to collaborate on the testing of NigComSat-1R payload
and demonstration of the capability of NigComSat-1R payload for satellite based augmentation system (SBAS).
According to Mr. Idris Adamu, Head, Public Affairs Department of the agency, in a statement, said the successful testing of NigComSat-1R payload on Thales Alenia facility is aimed at boosting business opportunities with the view of addressing navigation and maritime safety in Africa in collaboration with other institutional stakeholders in Africa.
Under the agreement, NIGCOMSAT would acquire critical SBAS equipment worth about Euros 400,000, free from Thales, including utilization of NIGCOMSAT services and knowledge transfer.
The signing of the contract between NIGCOMSAT Ltd and Thales Alenia Space which took place at the Thales Alenia Space head office in Toulouse, France came on the heels of negotiations and final agreement between the two parties.
The Executive Director, Engineering Services, Engr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji, who led the NIGCOMSAT delegation, while speaking at the event stated that the cooperative agreement is a platform that will kick-start the collaboration between the two agencies geared towards establishing the capacity of NIGCOMSAT navigation payload towards the utilization of NigComSat-1R to improve navigation and maritime safety across Africa and beyond.
By this development, Nigeria will eventually be established as a center for navigation and maritime safety in Africa.
In his response, the Vice President of satellite navigation business unit of Thales Alenia Space, Bennoit Brody, said that the agreement would open a flood gate to demonstrate both the capacity of NigComSat-1R navigation payload and the capacity of Thales Alenia Space as a leading satellite equipment provider and finally create potential business opportunities in Navigation safety in Africa.
While in Toulouse, NIGCOMSAT delegation visited the Assembly Integration and Testing (AIT) complex of Thales Alenia Space. The capacity of Thales Alenia Space in satellite manufacturing and several technological advances in communications satellite models were presented for other possible areas of cooperation.
Thales Alenia Space Company is the foremost satellite manufacturing company with specialization in satellite payloads and satellite equipment with over percent of the world market share in satellite payloads manufacturing.
NIGCOMSAT Ltd is a satellite communications service provider owned wholly by the federal government providing secured communications services in Nigeria, Africa and beyond.