Nigeria joins global space race with democratic astronaut selection

By Juliet Umeh

Nigeria has taken a bold step into the future of space exploration, with the launch of a democratic astronaut selection initiative, unveiled on Tuesday by the Space Exploration & Research Agency, SERA.

The programme gives ordinary citizens the chance to represent the nation in space through a transparent, community-driven process.

In a statement, the Director, Media and Corporate Communications of the National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA, Dr. Felix Ale, explained that the initiative promotes community-selected astronauts in Nigeria, India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Thailand. According to him, citizens from these countries will be able to vote for their representatives through a blockchain-powered platform.

SERA co-founder, Joshua Skurla, said: “The approach shifts astronaut selection from elite institutions to public participation.

“Unlike traditional astronaut programs requiring military or advanced academic backgrounds, SERA’s Mission Control platform on Telegram enables anyone from partner nations to apply and compete for community support.

“After the success of SERA’s 2022 mission, which sent South America’s first civilian astronaut, Victor Hespanha, to space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard, the agency is now expanding access globally.

“For Nigeria, this marks a historic opportunity to advance its space exploration ambitions beyond satellites.’’

NASRDA Director-General, Dr. Matthew Olumide Adepoju, in his remarks, described the program as “a pathway that ensures Nigerian representation reflects the diverse aspirations of our population.”

Also speaking, President of Learnspace Foundation, which facilitated the partnership, Dr. Anne Agi, stressed the inclusive nature of the initiative.

She said: “We’re building bridges between communities, institutions, and industry to ensure Nigeria’s journey to human spaceflight is not only historic but inclusive.”

The selection process will operate through SERA’s Mission Control mini-app on Telegram, built on the TON Blockchain for transparency.

Applicants will complete challenges to earn “SpaceDust” points and compete for Nigeria’s guaranteed seat. Blockchain technology will ensure fair voting while allowing global participation.

SERA co-founder, Sam Hutchison, explained the impact for ordinary Nigerians: “A teacher in Abuja or a content creator in Lagos can now compete for Nigeria’s space seat through community engagement, not just academic credentials.’’

Six seats are available for the next Blue Origin mission, five allocated to partner nations, with one open globally.

Selected astronauts will undergo Blue Origin’s safety training before flight.

The initiative, according to the bank, is projected to assist approximately 105 enterprises, generating and sustaining several thousand direct and indirect jobs, while making substantial contribution to inclusive growth and the reduction of unemployment.

Dr. Donkor explained that the approvals were closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, directly advancing SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and SDG 13: Climate Action.

“Through these new commitments, EBID continues to deepen its developmental footprint across the ECOWAS region,” Donkor said.

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