An expert on space technology, Prof. Babatunde Rabiu, has called for the domestication of space technology in the country, saying that this will. boost Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. Rabiu, the Director, Centre for Atmospheric Research, National Space Research and Development Agency, said this in an interview with the NAN in Abuja.
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He said the domestication of satellite technology, if achieved in Nigeria, would help telecommunication industries to build their satellites within the country.
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According to him, this will also save the country the cost of manufacturing and launching of satellites abroad.
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"There are some other spin-offs from space technology that the country could benefit from if it could be domesticated in the country. We talk of Global Positioning System, GPS, receivers and receivers from satellites such as DSTV ditches.
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Then, imagine the capital flight this will save the country and the tax that will go into government purses. This will add tremendous benefits to our nation. If we try it, we may come very close to, if not more than what we are getting from the oil at the moment," he said Rabiu said that Nigeria with one-quarter of the African population already had huge market for the applications from satellite technology. He noted that the country also had the required human capacity for the domestication of the technology.