• Friday, March 29, 2024
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David Mark, Faleti, Shaba, Agbakoba, others to headline Space Webinar

Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL)

As part of its advocacy towards drawing the attention of the Federal Government and other stakeholders to the huge goldmine in space law, the Space Law Practice Group of Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL), a part of OAL Public Sector Practice Group, has announced a webinar with the theme, ‘Unlocking Space Opportunities in Nigeria.’

Keynote Speakers include David Mark, a former Senate president, who was also minister of Communication; Uche Ekwunife, a senator and chairman, Senate committee on Science, Technology and Innovation; Peter Ekweozoh, director, Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation; Halilu Ahmed Shaba, director-general, National Space Research abd Development Agency (NASRDA), and Olisa Agbakoba, senior partner, Olisa Agbakoba Legal,

The Webinar, according to OAL, is in furtherance of the Group’s Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) to collaborate on legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks for current and emerging challenges in the space sector.

Speaking to a select group of editors on the coming event, Collins Okeke, Space Law expert, associate partner and head, public sector practice group, OAL, said that the overall objectives of the webinar would be to increase public awareness of current and emerging issues in the space sector, to discuss on policy, legal, institutional and regulatory reforms and also unveil opportunities in the space industry.

According to Okeke, “Our specific objectives would be to present an overview of Nigeria’s space policy and its place in the space sector; highlight existing gaps in Nigeria’s space policy and emerging opportunities, and to structure and harmonise all measures required for the development of outer space activities in Nigeria (emphasising the place of public-private partnership).

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“We also want to explain how the country can take advantage of the characteristics of the country for Outer Space activities, if applicable; for instance, its Geostrategic position. We want to define and allocate responsibilities; increase awareness of importance of Outer Space activities and call all relevant stakeholders to participate in the space effort of the country, and of course, position the country on the international stage as one that recognises Outer Space’s importance.”

Okeke further explained that among the target groups are “Business sectors that depend on space satellite technology, example, Telecommunication (phone and broadband), TV and radio broadcasting, banking, and insurance, energy and utilities, construction and mining, transportation (aviation, maritime), and agriculture).

“Government, including Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, members of the National Assembly, policy makers); regulators (NARSDA, NCC), lawyers and many other individuals and groups.”

Listing some of the topics to be discussed, the Space Law expert said: “We are going to have a panel of discussants made up of erudite members of society, who also are stakeholders in the sector.

“They will be speaking on evolution of space law and its importance; the role of NASRDA in the evolution of space activities; commercial opportunities in space, and articulating a new space policy in Nigeria in light of emerging opportunities.”

He also announced that the webinar will be on zoom and will be held on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at 11am.