Space in Africa

Space in Africa
Company typePrivate
IndustrySpace and Satellite Industry
FoundedFebruary 2018
HeadquartersLagos, Lagos State, Nigeria
Key people
Temidayo Isaiah Oniosun
Websitespaceinafrica.com

Space in Africa is a media, analytics and consulting company focusing on the African space and satellite industry with its headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria.

Company Overview

Space in Africa is a media, analytics, and consulting company that provides strategic intelligence, market data, and policy advisory for the African space and satellite industry. Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, the company serves clients across four continents and is widely recognised as the authoritative voice on Africa’s evolving space ecosystem. [1]

Company History

The company was founded in 2018 by Nigerian space entrepreneur Temidayo Isaiah Oniosun[2] to address the information and policy gap in Africa's emerging space economy. In the same year, it was named a finalist in the Fall 2018 NewSpace Business Plan Competition in Austin, Texas. [3]

In June 2019, Space in Africa published its first African Space Industry Annual Report,[4] estimating the industry's value at over USD 7 billion, with projections to exceed USD 10 billion by 2024.[5] Subsequent editions have tracked satellite launches, government budgets, and investment trends. The company received seed funding from AC Ventures in July 2019 to expand its operations and consulting services.[6]

Consulting & Advisory Services

Space in Africa has evolved into a full-service advisory firm offering strategic services to public and private stakeholders.[7] Its core offerings include:

  • Policy and Strategy Development for national governments and regional organisations [7]
  • Feasibility Studies for satellite programs and infrastructure [7]
  • Commercialization Strategies, including for Angola’s AngoSat-2 satellite [7]
  • Transaction Advisory, helping institutions raise equity, debt, or grant funding [7]
  • Market Entry & Go-to-Market Strategies for foreign and African space companies [7]
  • Investor Scouting and Strategic Due Diligence [7]

Notable consulting clients and collaborators include:

  • African Union Commission (for the operationalization of the African Space Agency) [7]
  • European Commission, including the €100 million EU–Africa Space Programme [7]
  • Airbus, EUMETSAT, CNES, MIT Media Lab, and NIGCOMSAT [7]
  • Governments and institutions in Nigeria, Angola, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, and Malawi

Notable Projects & Case Studies

  • Baseline Study for the African Space Agency: A study covering Earth observation, satellite communication, astronomy, and socioeconomic benefits of space programs. The findings informed the roadmap for the African Space Agency, formally launched in 2023. [8]
  • Commercialisation Strategy for AngoSat-2: Delivered a comprehensive business plan for AngoSat-2’s rollout. Within one month of launch, 33% of the satellite’s transponders had been sold. [9]
  • C-band Utilisation Strategy for Nigeria: Explored business models, regulatory frameworks, and use cases for expanding satellite communication in Nigeria, including 5G integration. [10]

Market Intelligence & Publications

Space in Africa maintains Africa’s largest independent database of space activity, and its reports serve as primary resources for investors, agencies, and researchers.[11] Flagship publications include:

NewSpace Africa Conference

Since 2022, Space in Africa has hosted the NewSpace Africa Conference, the continent’s largest industry gathering focused on space innovation, investment, and policy.

Conference Locations and Highlights:

  • 2025 - Cairo, Egypt [15]
  • 2024 - Luanda, Angola [16]
  • 2023 - Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire [17]
  • 2022 - Nairobi, Kenya [18]

The 2025 edition, held at Egypt Space City, marked the official inauguration of the African Space Agency (AfSA) [19] and the launch of the EU-Africa Space Programme,[20] a €100 million initiative.[21] The event featured over 500 delegates from 65+ countries, including officials from NASA, the African Union, ESA, and the U.S. Department of State.[15]

Key sponsors include: European Commission, Airbus, CNES, Japanese Pavilion, NASA, Italian Space Agency, and Viasat. [22]

African Space Industry Top 10 Under 30 Initiative

Since 2019, Space in Africa has published the African Space Industry Top 10 Under 30, highlighting young African innovators, scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs shaping the future of space on the continent. [23]

The initiative features awardees from countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Morocco, Angola, and Ethiopia, and has become a benchmark for emerging talent in the sector. [24][25][26]

Leadership

Temidayo Isaiah Oniosun is the Founder and Managing Director of Space in Africa . He holds a B.Tech in Meteorology from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), an MSc in Satellite Applications from the University of Strathclyde in the United Kingdom, and a PhD from the University of Delaware, United States.[27] He is a Research Affiliate at the MIT Media Lab [28] and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council.[29] Oniosun also serves as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Space Technologies.[30] He has been recognized as a Karman Fellow [31] and named to Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 list.[32] As a thought leader in the space industry, he frequently speaks at major global forums, including the Meridian Diplomacy Forum.[33]

References

  1. ^ "Home - Space in Africa". Space in Africa. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  2. ^ "Temidayo Oniosun". www.temidayooniosun.com. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  3. ^ "Announcing the Finalists for the Fall 2018 NewSpace Business Plan Competition in Austin, TX | The Center for Space Commerce and Finance". Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  4. ^ SpaceRef (29 October 2019). "Space In Africa Releases NewSpace Africa Industry Report, 2019". SpaceNews. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  5. ^ "AFRICAN SPACE INDUSTRY ANNUAL REPORT 2019 EDITION". Space in Africa. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  6. ^ Africa, Space in. "Space in Africa Closes Investment Round; Expands Staff to Eleven People Across Five African Nations". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Space in Africa - Consulting Services". Space in Africa. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  8. ^ "Baseline Study for the Establishment and Operationalization of the African Space Agency". Space in Africa. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  9. ^ "The Commercialisation Strategy for AngoSat-2 Satellite". Space in Africa. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Market Study on C-band Capacity Utilisation in Nigeria". Space in Africa. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Reports". Space in Africa. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  12. ^ "African Satellite Manufacturing & Launch Market Report, 2024 Edition". Space in Africa. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  13. ^ "African Space Budget Analysis Report, 2025". Space in Africa. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  14. ^ "Research - Market Insights and Analysis". Space in Africa. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  15. ^ a b "Newspace Africa Conference 2025". Newspace Africa Conference. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  16. ^ "Newspace Africa conference 2024 - The Role of Space in Closing Africa's Poverty Gap" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 April 2025.
  17. ^ "The NewSpace Africa Conference 2023 - Space for Africa's Socio-Economic Transformation" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 April 2025.
  18. ^ "The NewSpace Africa Conference 2022 - Making Africa the New Hotspot for Space Business" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 April 2025.
  19. ^ "African Space Agency to be Inaugurated in 2025". African Space Agency. 6 November 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  20. ^ Nyangi, Samuel (21 April 2025). "Africa-EU Space Programme Launched on the Sidelines of the 2025 NewSpace Africa Conference". Space in Africa. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  21. ^ "Africa–EU Space Partnership Launched - Advancing Collaboration in Space Technologies". African Space Agency. 13 May 2025. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  22. ^ "Sponsorships & Exhibition". Newspace Africa Conference. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  23. ^ "Meet The Top 10 Under 30 In The African Space Industry". Space in Africa. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  24. ^ "Two angolan engineers among the top ten young people in the African space industry". VerAngola. 17 August 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  25. ^ Kargbo, Lamin (4 August 2021). "Sierra Leone's Alimamy Lewis awarded as "top 10 under 30" innovators in Africa Space Industry". SwitSalone. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  26. ^ "NUST student in top 10 African Space Industry 2021 class". www.nust.ac.zw. 4 August 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  27. ^ "Temidayo Oniosun, Ph.D." LinkedIn.
  28. ^ "Temidayo Oniosun". Newspace Africa Conference. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  29. ^ "Temidayo Oniosun". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  30. ^ "Global Future Council on Space Technologies". initiatives.weforum.org. Archived from the original on 24 May 2025. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  31. ^ "Temidayo Isaiah Oniosun MANAGING DIRECTOR Space in Africa | The Karman Project". www.karmanproject.org. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  32. ^ "UD doctoral student named to Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 | UDaily". www.udel.edu. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  33. ^ "About 1". Meridian Diplomacy Forum. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
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