Day One of the 2025 NewSpace Africa Conference: Event Excerpts

Space in Africa, in collaboration with the African Space Agency (AfSA) and hosted by the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA), is organising the 2025 NewSpace Africa Conference from 21 to 24 April at the Egypt Space City, Cairo, Egypt. As Africa’s premier gathering for the continent’s and international space stakeholders, the event has attracted over 500 delegates from over 300 institutions and more than 64 countries. These include African and foreign government officials, ministry representatives, heads of national space agencies and NewSpace companies, policymakers, investment firms and students.

The four-day conference, themed “Empowering Africa’s Economy Through Space-Driven Innovation”, will feature various activities such as keynote speeches, panel discussions, interactive breakout sessions, and matchmaking meetings across B2B, B2C, and B2G formats. It will also feature 100 distinguished speakers, 39 exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge technologies and solutions, agreement signings, and opportunities for networking with key players in the space sector.

Welcoming Remarks

In his welcoming remarks, Dr Temidayo Oniosun, Managing Director of Space in Africa, affirmed that for the fourth consecutive year, the NewSpace Africa Conference (NSAC) continues to serve as the premier platform for African and international space stakeholders. Building on the momentum of previous editions held in Kenya (2022), Côte d’Ivoire (2023), and Angola (2024), he emphasised that this year’s conference is poised to be the most impactful to date. Dr Oniosun reiterated NSAC’s core mission—to provide timely updates on industry trends, spotlight emerging business opportunities, explore technological advancements, engage in policy dialogue, and unlock investment potential—all of which are vital to the continued growth and development of Africa’s space ecosystem.

Following the opening remarks, Dr Sherrif Sedky, CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency and host of this year’s conference, welcomed participants and expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to convene such a significant gathering. He reaffirmed the Egyptian Space Agency’s commitment—supported by its various partners—to advancing and sustaining the African space ecosystem.

This commitment, he noted, is reflected not only in Egypt’s hosting of the conference but also in the recent inauguration of the African Space Agency (AfSA). Immediately after, Dr Tidiane Ouattara encouraged participants to take advantage of the conference and the gathering, highlighting the importance of collaboration and engagement in the space ecosystem.

Keynote Presentations

The first keynote address was delivered by Dr Valanathan Munsami, Chancellor of the International Space University, titled “The Future and Perspectives of the African Outer Space Programme.” His presentation provided a comprehensive overview of Africa’s space ecosystem, outlining its thematic focus areas, foundational building blocks, and the key challenges facing its development. Dr Munsami also reflected on the future trajectory of the African Space Agency (AfSA), emphasising the importance of its role in supporting national space agencies to accelerate the development of domestic capabilities. He further advocated for close collaboration with regional economic communities to foster the emergence of sub-regional space ecosystems.

In conclusion, Dr Munsami stressed the need for AfSA to strengthen partnerships both within the continent and globally, particularly with academic and technical institutions, to cultivate the human capital necessary to propel Africa’s space industry into the future. The second keynote address was delivered by H.E. Angelina Eichhorst, EU Ambassador to Egypt and the League of Arab States. She underscored the need for a dedicated space marketplace, emphasising that such a platform would strengthen the efforts of the African Space Agency (AfSA) and serve as a pivotal forum for industry leaders and stakeholders. She highlighted the EU Global Gateway’s key pillars of engagement, noting that over the past three years, it has mobilised funding in public-private investment to advance Africa’s Agenda 2063. These efforts, she remarked, reflect a shared vision for a technologically advanced and prosperous future.

Panel discussion

The first panel was a roundtable discussion on “Space Policy & Innovation Leadership.” The session brought together H.E. Salem Butti Salem Al Qubaisi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency; Dr Sherrif Sedky, CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency, Timothy Ashong, the Managing Director of RASCOM, and Mr Prosper Zo’o Minto’o, Director General of ASECNA.  The recurring discussion points highlighted the importance of harmonising national and continental space policies, supporting public-private partnerships, and investing in infrastructure and human capital. Emphasis was also placed on avoiding duplication of efforts and enhancing regional cooperation, while leveraging existing platforms such as RASCOM and ASECNA to align strategic priorities. Dr Valanathan Munsami moderated the session.

Following the panel, Space in Africa’s Managing Director, Temidayo Oniosun, alongside Mustapha Iderwaumi, Senior Analyst, Space in Africa, took the stage to present a market briefing of the African space ecosystem, highlighting fundamental trends to lay important background insights to guide participation at the event and to serve as a critical tool for decision-makers to capitalise on. They further highlighted that the industry is well-positioned to meet its 2026 valuation of USD 22.64 billion. 

Status Updates on African Space Agencies’ Activities – Cohort 1

The first head of the space agency panel featured Dr Sheriff Sedky, CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency, Hon Gaspard Twagirayezu, CEO, Rwanda Space Agency, Dr Matthew Adepoju, Director-General, National Space Research and Development Agency, Dr Gweme Painos, Coordinator, Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency and Dr Mundia Lisho, Deputy Executive Director,  Research, Innovation, and Training,  Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation, Namibia. Dr Temidayo Oniosun, CEO, Space in Africa, moderated the panel session.

The CEO of the Rwanda Space Agency delivered an overview of the institution’s journey, beginning with establishing a working group in 2019 and culminating in the recent approval of Rwanda’s national space policy. He emphasised that the central objective of the country’s space programme is to harness space technologies for socio-economic development, while also supporting collaboration and inspiring the next generation.

As part of efforts to build a robust national space ecosystem, the agency has prioritised strategic investments in data infrastructure. One of its flagship initiatives—developing a geospatial hub—is designed to reduce data access barriers and ensure critical geospatial information availability. The hub is nearing completion of its infrastructure phase and is expected to play a key role in broadening the use of space-derived data across various sectors.

Additionally, Rwanda has invested in a ground station that forms part of a larger satellite port project. The facility, equipped with both S-band and X-band capabilities and featuring a 9.3-metre antenna, operates under a Ground Station as a Service (GSaaS) model. This allows the agency to onboard diverse customers, addressing a significant infrastructure gap along the equator and reinforcing Rwanda’s position as an emerging hub for space operations in the region.

Dr Lisho Mundia from Namibia highlighted the country’s key strengths in space exploration, Earth observation, and satellite communications, while outlining the strategic priorities guiding its national space agenda. Central among these priorities are the development of human resources and the expansion of access to space-based data and resources. He further noted that significant progress has been made in laying the institutional foundation for space science, including introducing a dedicated space science policy in 2021 and establishing a National Space Science Council. In addition, local universities have begun integrating space science into their curricula, supported by workshops and conferences to support academic and public engagement.

In his presentation, he noted various scientific contributions, including Namibia’s astronomical infrastructure such as the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) and participation in the African Millimetre Telescope (AMT). The country is also an active member of the AfriGEO initiative and contributes to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project. On the infrastructure front, a ground station developed in partnership with China plays a dual role in operations and capacity building, having already trained 14 local engineers through onsite instruction. Despite this progress, Dr Mundia highlighted that securing sustainable financing remains a significant challenge, particularly in scaling up national space capabilities.

Mr PaInos Gweme highlighted that a central priority of the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGA) is the establishment of a comprehensive National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) to ensure better coordination across sectors. Approximately 65% of national datasets—including those related to electricity, mining, agriculture, and urban planning—have been integrated into a unified national geoportal, enhancing data accessibility and inter-agency collaboration. The Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) of Nigeria presented a strategic three-point agenda aimed at repositioning the country’s space sector for global competitiveness. The agenda includes a transformation of the sector to meet international standards, a renewed focus on energising staff and institutional capacity, and the integration of private sector actors into Nigeria’s broader space ecosystem.

Among the notable achievements, the Director General announced that Nigeria has received approval to launch four new satellites—three dedicated to Earth observation and one synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite. Egypt’s presentation, done by Dr Sedky, offered an in-depth look at the country’s rapidly advancing space capabilities, anchored by the development of the expansive Space City. The country’s MisrSat-2 satellite, a sun-synchronous Earth observation satellite, has begun delivering high-resolution imagery of government infrastructure and major national projects. Egypt is also developing an integrated portal to visualise and compare the progress of these projects in real time, promoting transparency and data-driven planning.

The NexSat-1 satellite, which incorporates 45% localisation of its manufacturing, represents a significant step forward in Egypt’s localisation strategy. Additionally, the AfDevSat project was highlighted as a continental initiative aimed at capacity building and supporting the broader needs of African countries. Dr Sedky also highlighted progress on the ClimCam project, a remote sensing camera set to be deployed aboard the International Space Station by the end of the year. The flight model has been completed, and the mission will enhance regional climate monitoring capabilities.

Further demonstrating its international collaborations, Egypt is working alongside Bahrain and China on a lunar mission, scheduled for 2026, to study the Moon’s topography and soil composition. To support industrial development around the space sector, Egypt has designated a technology zone on the border of Space City as a customs-free area, creating an enabling environment for manufacturing, innovation, and investment.

Keynote Addresses

Keynote addresses were also delivered by Airbus Defence and Space, the European Space Agency, Centre national d’études spatiales (CNES) and the International Astronautical Federation.

The keynotes highlighted Africa’s growing position as a key contributor to the global space economy. Furthermore, key collaborations between these organisations and Africa were highlighted, which showcased the transformative role of international partnerships in driving space innovation for socio-economic benefit. 

Launch of the Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme

On the sidelines of the conference, the Africa-EU Space Programme was launched, signalling a renewed commitment by the European Union (EU) to promote sustainable development and build equitable global partnerships between both continents. The programme launch featured key appearances from H.E. Javier Nino Perez (EU Ambassador to the African Union), H.E. Moses Vilakati (AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) and H.E. Dr Tidiane Ouattara (President of the African Space Council), who gave keynote addresses. They underscored the critical role of such partnerships in enhancing mutual benefit and driving space innovation and progress.

Additionally, a panel discussion titled “The Africa-EU Space Programme: A Deep Dive into a Renewed Partnership” shared insights on the collaborative nature of the new space-based partnership. Panellists drawn from the programme’s implementing partners underscored their commitment to collaborating to support its success. Areas of cooperation include training and capacity-building initiatives, enhancing private sector participation and EU-AU matchmaking for institutions and space marketplaces. Then, the programme was officially launched.