The Ground Infrastructure Race: East Africa’s Emerging Space Backbone
The 9.3m diameter ground station antenna at Rwanda’s teleport site. Source: Rwanda Space Agency
Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda are each building out satellite ground infrastructure independently and at different stages of understanding what that infrastructure is actually for. The question is not whether they should be coordinating. It is whether each has done enough nationally to make that…
ESSS and Cross U Sign an MoU to Advance Ethiopia’s Space Business Ecosystem
Source: ESSS
The Ethiopian Space Science Society (ESSS) and Japanese space business platform Cross U have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking a significant milestone in commercial space collaboration between Ethiopia and Japan. The agreement establishes a shared commitment between the two institutions to develop the space technology ecosystem and accelerate space…
Advancing Institutional Cooperation at the NewSpace Africa Conference 2026
Participants at the NewSpace Africa Conference 2026, in Libreville, Gabon. Source: Space in Africa
The NewSpace Africa Conference continues to serve as a premier platform for formulating regional partnerships and facilitating deal-making opportunities that propel the African space industry forward. The fifth edition of the conference, held in Libreville, Gabon, from 20 to 23 April 2026,…
2026 NewSpace Africa Conference – Day 4 Recap
H.E. Dr Tidiane Ouattara, President of the Council of the African Space Agency, delivering his closing remarks. Source: Space in Africa
Day 4 arrived as both a culmination and a conclusion. Over the preceding three days, the 2026 NewSpace Africa Conference had moved through an ambitious programme, heads of agency panels spanning more than 20 countries, keynotes from global industry leaders,…
2026 NewSpace Africa Conference – Day 3 Recap
MoU signing ceremony between AGEOS and GGPEN on the sidelines of NSAC 2026. Source: Space in Africa
By the time Day 3 of the 2026 NewSpace Africa Conference opened, the event had already reiterated why it is widely regarded globally as one of the most substantive gatherings the African space sector has seen. The first two days had moved with purpose, from high-level policy dialogues and…
2026 NewSpace Africa Conference: Day 2 Recap
Source: Space in Africa
Day 2 of the 2026 NewSpace Africa Conference, organised by Space in Africa and the African Space Agency and hosted by the Government of Gabon, picked up the conversation from where it left off, maintaining the mission of impactful dialogues leading to a more coordinated and sustainable space programme built on synergy and collaboration with partners globally, to…
African Space Budget Analysis Report, 2026
The 2026 African Space Budget Analysis Report aggregates annual budgets by African governments to space programmes and explores the factors influencing budgetary decisions, including technological priorities and national strategic objectives. The primary objective of this report is to help decision-makers understand the size of the government budget for space across all African countries and…
Why Africa Must Move Beyond Nano-Satellites Toward Operational Space Capability
Africa has been described, liberally and repeatedly, as nascent, budding, growing, and emerging in its space capabilities. These adjectives have clung to the continent's space programmes for decades, like labels on products perpetually stuck in beta. Yet here we are in 2026, and the pattern invites reflection: countries continue launching nanosatellites, those miniaturised satellites no bigger…
Vodafone and Amazon Leo Partner to Expand Mobile Coverage Across Africa and Europe
Source: Vodafone
Vodafone, a multinational telecommunications company operating across Africa, particularly in 8 African countries through Vodacom, has signed an agreement with Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite broadband network (Amazon LEO) to expand mobile coverage across Europe and Africa. The partnership aims to connect significantly more 4G and 5G mobile sites in remote areas, thereby…
Italy Deepens Space Engagement with Africa at the Third Italy–Africa Space Leaders Meeting
Space agency leaders convene at the Luigi Broglio Space Centre in Malindi for the Third Italy-Africa Space Leaders Meeting. Source: Kenya Space Agency
The Kenya Space Agency (KSA), in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana), convened the Third Italy–Africa Space Leaders Meeting at the Luigi Broglio Space Centre in Malindi, Kenya, reinforcing the long-standing…