The Vice Chancellor, Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, Professor Ibiyemi Samuel, has declared that  e-voting is possible in Nigeria if NigComsat-1R satellite is fully deployed, as the process of the polling booths across the nation can be monitored remotely in real time and made available in each home life across the nation.

He also noted that the success of the planned transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting in Nigeria will largely be determined by the level of the deployment of the satellite.

Prof. Ibiyemi stated this at the annual space dialogue and the fourth anniversary celebration of NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X organized by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) in Abuja.

He explained that the NIgComSat-1R satellite has effective signal coverage of the entire Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region and must be fully deployed and harnessed for Nigeria target of achieving full digitization to be realized.

‘‘The NigComSat-1R satellite has effective signal coverage of the entire Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region. The satellite even has coverage extending to Central Africa in the Ku band; and coverage extending to South Africa and Latin America in the Ka band.

‘‘In fact, the success of transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting in Nigeria will largely be determined by the level of NigComsat-1R deployment.’’

He also stated that e-voting is possible in Nigeria if the satellite is fully deployed, as the process of the polling booths across the nation can be monitored remotely in real time and made available in each home life across the nation.

In her address, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Winifred Ita-Ewa, said many nations of the world adopt space technology and increasingly considering it as an important source of economic growth that manifests in the social-economic wellbeing of nations and their citizens.

She said Nigeria must recognize that space is power and allow it reflect the comprehensive power of the nation, which had become the driving force behind the economies and securities of the developed and emerging economies.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Director General, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Prof. Saidu Mohammed, said the event was set to mark the launch of the satellites and by way of dialogue create an avenue for users and stakeholders in space technology to interact, enlighten the populace and proffer directions for impacting the growth and socio-economic development of the country with space technology.

The theme of this year’s dialogue is: ‘‘Achieving a mass Economy for Nigeria using Satellite Technologies.’’
He described space investment in communication satellite as economic development spinner, which is currently used by developed and emerging nations of the world.

According to him, more than 97 per cent of the communication satellite covering the African continent are owned by non-African countries or organizations, adding that huge annual resources being generated from the use of these satellites over Africa exceed the annual budget of many African countries put together.
While calling for the support of the present administration to space programmes and initiatives, Mohammed asserted that space technology remains the most powerful driving force behind the economies and security of developed countries like Brazil, USA, Russia, China, Britain, and India.

On the benefits of the satellites to the economy, he said, ‘’18 universities use imageries of NigeriaSat-X. Also six MDAs and over 100 academic researchers across Nigeria, Africa, Europe, Asia and other parts of the Globe use them.

‘‘NigeriaSat-2 provides high resolution imagery in a swath width of 20km, carrying a disaster monitoring constellation that provides observation for global disaster monitoring.’’

This is a disaster waiting to happen! Lol.