SatNav Africa JPO Hosts Workshop on GNSS Technologies for the Maritime Sector in Africa
The SatNav Africa Joint Programme Office (JPO), in collaboration with Eurêka Géo, hosted an online workshop on 26th February 2026 to advance the use of GNSS technologies across Africa’s maritime sector. Held under the theme “Leveraging Advanced GNSS Technologies to Enhance Maritime Operations in Africa,” the event brought together experts from regional, national, and international organisations, including the African Union Commission (AUC), the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), and the Agence Nationale des Affaires Maritimes (ANAM) of Senegal, among others.
Policy, Technology and Concrete Applications
The workshop was structured across four sessions. The first addressed policy and institutional frameworks, exploring how GNSS regulation could be developed and embedded within Africa’s broader governance structures. Presentations were delivered by Dr Raissa-Julie Ada Allogo of the African Union Commission, who spoke on strengthening Africa’s maritime governance through GNSS technologies; Mr Maubert Muanamosi and Mr Emmanuel Sabuni of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), who addressed growing GNSS use in Central Africa’s maritime and shared inland waterways, and Commander Max Claver Gaguie of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), who focused on GNSS for maritime security and safety across West and Central Africa.
The second session turned to GNSS and SBAS system development, examining the state of satellite navigation infrastructure on the continent and its potential for expansion. Presentations highlighted European GNSS and Galileo applications in maritime contexts, with Mr Karel Callewaert of EUSPA covering European GNSS for maritime use, Mr José-Manuel Alvarez of the European Satellite Service Provider (ESSP) presenting on SBAS and EGNOS for maritime, and Ms Agnes Kobusinge of SatNav Africa JPO providing an overview of augmentation systems, maritime applications, and Africa’s market outlook. The session concluded with Mr Vivien Dovonon of ASECNA presenting the ANGA Programme Augmented Navigation for Africa, and its significance for the continent’s navigation future.
The third session offered maritime user perspectives, drawing on the insights of both national and regional bodies to illustrate how GNSS is already being deployed to address real operational challenges across Africa. Dr Ing Jean Aurélien Moukana Libongui of CICOS presented the Congo Basin approach to inland waterway navigation, covering vessel tracking, river monitoring, and sustainable transport. Dr Kwame Adu Agyekum of MarCNoWA addressed coastal monitoring and maritime domain awareness in West Africa, whilst ANAM Senegal and Mr Moustapha Gaye of AfricaDex contributed perspectives on advancing maritime safety in Senegal through GNSS technologies.
Looking Ahead: The Africa Satellite Navigation Conference
The workshop closed with a forward-looking session presented by Dr Aicha Alou Oumarou, Head of Market Development at SatNav Africa JPO, who introduced the forthcoming Africa Satellite Navigation Conference, to be held in Dakar in 2027. Dr Alou Oumarou provided an overview of the conference’s scope, partners, and stakeholders, positioning it as a landmark gathering for the continent’s satellite navigation community.
Overall, the workshop served as an important step in strengthening capacity and promoting collaboration on GNSS applications in the maritime domain, helping African nations harness the full potential of satellite navigation technologies to meet the continent’s growing operational and developmental challenges.