By Chinenye Anuforo
The Managing Director, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), Abimbola Alale has disclosed that the agency will acquire more satellites between now and 2025 with the NigComSat-2 (Hight Throughput
Satellite) due for launch in 2023 while NigComSat-3 will be launched in 2025.
According to the MD, who disclosed this yesterday in Lagos during a stakeholders forum organised by the agency with the theme, ‘NIGCOMSAT, The Present and The Future’, the launch will not only inspire confidence in Agency’s customers and channel partners but will also place NIGCOMSAT in the front line of communication satellite operators with fleet of satellites in the orbit.
Alale also disclosed that NIGCOMSAT, in a bid to achieve its ambition as the leading satellite communication solutions provider in Nigeria and Africa, obtained approval early 2020 to form two subsidiary
companies (SUBCOs) the Satellite Infrastructure Company SIC to provide satellite upstream
services such as Transponder leasing, and In-Orbit-(IOT) services, Carrier Spectrum Management (CSM) services & the Satellite Broadcasting and Broadband Company (SBBC) to provide satellite downstream services such as broadband internet services,
Broadcasting (DTH) services etc.
“The SUBCOs were formed to carryout commercial businesses on behalf of NIGCOMSAT
with strategic partners and expand its business operations and in the information & communications technology space, NIGCOMSAT realizes the need to strategically position its subsidiaries for potential opportunities and risks, put in place operational structures to facilitate its business aspirations”.
As a result of the aforementioned, the NIGCOMSAT boss stated that Minister of Communications and Digital Economy has given the company a set of KPIs that are linked to the development of a strategic document which identifies the key market opportunities and risks in the Nigerian market as well as to define the SUBCO’s operational framework.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo said that, Satellite is very key to telecommunications companies. He said that, the first-mile deployment of 5G should be by Satellite while the last-mile should be by fibre.
Continuing, Alale noted that as part of VSAT/TVRO capacity development programme,
NIGCOMSAT has trained 600 youths across the six geo-political zones in the country adding that they have been equipped with tools to participate in growing the digital economy timely achievement of NIGCOMSAT’s roles specified in the National Broadband Plan 2020-2025.
“Satellite communications is a technology with rapid changings, in view of this, NIGCOMAT has continued to build capacity that match global trends and requirement”, she said.
Speaking on the objective of the stakeholders’ forum, explained that, it is part of the agency’s efforts to rub minds with stakeholders on areas they may need expansion and improvement in line with its core mandate and core values.