NigComSat Selects Hughes JUPITER Scalable Gateway for NigComSat-2A and 2B Ground Segment
The Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat) has selected the Hughes JUPITER scalable gateway system as the ground infrastructure for its next-generation satellites, NigComSat-2A and NigComSat-2B. Hughes Network Systems, an EchoStar company, announced the selection on 16 September 2026 from Germantown, Maryland.
The award is the second supplier contract disclosed on the NigComSat-2 programme in three days, following Thales Alenia Space’s 14 September announcement that it will build NigComSat-2A on the Spacebus B2 platform. It is the first ground-segment contract for the programme to be made public.
Scope
The JUPITER system will support multi-band operations across Ka-, Ku- and C-bands, serving broadband, enterprise and government traffic across Nigeria and the wider region. Hughes describes the architecture as one that lets the operator deploy capacity incrementally and scale it as demand develops, rather than committing the full ground build at the outset.
System preparation begins in 2026. Hughes states the ground infrastructure and local assembly capability are targeted for readiness ahead of the satellite launches, which the release puts at early 2028 for NigComSat-2A and 2029 for NigComSat-2B. The early-2028 window is a firmer date than the 2028 target carried in the August announcements around the programme’s Federal Executive Council approval.
“As we prepare for the next phase of Nigeria’s satellite infrastructure, partnering with Hughes provides us with a scalable and future-ready ground system,” said Jane Egerton-Idehen, Managing Director of NigComSat. “The JUPITER platform will allow us to efficiently deploy capacity today, while scaling to meet the country’s long-term connectivity needs.”
Anshu Vij, Managing Director, EMEA at Hughes, said: “Being contracted by NigComSat for this strategic national program reflects the strength, flexibility, and proven performance of our JUPITER platform. This collaboration will help NigComSat deliver resilient, high-throughput connectivity while laying the foundation for future growth, innovation, and digital inclusion across Nigeria.”
The Local Assembly Component
The more consequential element of the announcement for Nigeria’s industrial base is not the gateway itself. Hughes said it expects to provide technical guidance, engineering support, and advisory expertise to enable local assembly of satellite terminals in Nigeria, supporting NigComSat in establishing a local manufacturing facility.
Egerton-Idehen framed the arrangement as more than a commercial technology purchase, describing it as a strategic industrialisation initiative. She linked it to strengthening Nigeria’s satellite communications sovereignty, accelerating digital infrastructure development, supporting defence and government connectivity, stimulating domestic manufacturing and innovation, diversifying national revenue sources, and positioning Nigeria as a regional hub for producing, deploying, and servicing satellite broadband terminals and antennas across Africa.
Hughes’ Chapter 11 Reorganisation
The NigComSat agreement comes as Hughes undergoes a Chapter 11 restructuring in the United States. On August 3, 2026, Hughes Satellite Systems Corporation and certain U.S. subsidiaries, including Hughes Network Systems, filed voluntary Chapter 11 petitions to address maturing debt and restructure the company’s capital position.
Hughes has said the proceedings are intended to support a financial and operational reorganisation rather than a cessation of its business. The company said it has sufficient liquidity to fund near-term operations and intends to continue serving customers, delivering products, and fulfilling existing commitments during the restructuring process. The Chapter 11 proceedings also do not include Hughes’ international subsidiaries.
For the NigComSat project, Hughes has not indicated that the restructuring will affect its ability to deliver the JUPITER ground system or provide the associated technical and engineering support. The project is scheduled to progress through system preparation in 2026, with the ground infrastructure and local assembly activities expected ahead of the NIGCOMSAT-2A and 2B launches planned for 2028 and 2029.