Abuja — President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday announced that the first Nigerian Communication Satellite called 'NigComSat-' aimed at introducing information and communication technology (ICT) through electronic transaction, particularly rural telephony, is to be launched before May 29, 2007.

Obasanjo, who stated this while commissioning permanent site of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), in Abuja, said the new project would enhance governmentís economic reforms, particularly in the areas of e-learning, e-commerce, tele-medicine, tele-education, and rural telephony.

The President also said the commissioning marks another milestone in Nigeria ís quest for the optimisation of the use of science and technology to promote sustainable national development and improve Nigerianís quality of life.

ìThis commitment has informed our embarking on programmes and initiatives that would effectively address the challenges of poverty, food security, infrastructural development, sustainable energy, affordable health and housing, and protection from natural and man-induced disasters.

"Space technology is key to the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the objectives of our holistic reform agenda as encapsulated in the NEEDS document. It guarantees the availability and speedy access to real-team data and geo-partial information, as well as the availability of relevant infrastructure and backbone for information communication,î he said. ,

Obasanjo said it has become imperative to integrate space technology application into the various stages of the countryís sustainable development efforts that government took a bold step by embarking on satellite systems development through the establishment of the NASRDA in 1991, and approval of the National Space Policy and Programme in 2001.

ìThis effort resulted in the launch of the first earth observation satellite, ìNigeriaSat-1î, in September 2003. By this unique achievement, Nigeria has registered not only her footprint in space, but also her name as satellite data provider.î

The President said he has been ìinformed that the satellite is performing well and has captured over 2000 images covering the entire country and different parts of the world. I am pleased to note that NigeriaSat-1 imagery has been variously applied to tackle some of our prediction, natural resources management, settlement mapping and transportation planning, gully erosion mitigation, desertification early warning, deforestation monitoring and Niger-Delta environmental change monitoring.î

He said as a follow up to government approval of contract for a UK based firm for the development of the second earth observation satellite, ìNigeriaSat-2, which is expected to produce the high-resolution imagery needed in urban and rural development planning and infrastructural development in the country.

The centre that was commissioned, according to the President, is the first in sub-Saharan Africa, which will be the driving vision of building the first made-in-Nigeria satellite to be launched in year 2025.