The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, has directed the Defence Space Administration (DSA) to extend its space-based intelligence and surveillance support to military operations in the North-West and North-Central regions to enhance operational effectiveness and troops’ situational awareness.
The directive will extend the support currently provided to Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East to Operation Fansan Yamma in the North-West and Operation Savannah Shield in the North-Central.
General Oluyede gave the directive on Friday during the DSA’s 12th anniversary celebration in Abuja, where he commended the Administration for its contributions to military operations through space-based intelligence, surveillance and communications capabilities.
“As we speak now, they are supporting Operation Hadin Kai, and I have given instructions that they should extend that to Operation Fansan Yamma in the North-West and Operation Savannah Shield in the North-Central,” the CDS said.
He urged the DSA to build on its achievements through sustained investment in indigenous research, technological innovation and human capital development. He also called for stronger collaboration with academic institutions, industries and relevant national agencies to develop resilient space capabilities.
The CDS stressed the need for continuous research and development, noting that systems must be developed, field-tested and refined to meet operational requirements while remaining compatible with existing military structures and equipment.
He commended the DSA for its achievements, including the launch of DELSAT-1, the establishment of the Special Intelligence Infrastructure and the Modular Earth Observation Outpost at the headquarters of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai. He said these initiatives had strengthened Nigeria’s defence space architecture and brought specialised intelligence support closer to operational commanders.
General Oluyede also welcomed the commencement of academic activities at the Defence Space School in Delta State, describing indigenous expertise and technological development as essential to strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to harness space for national security and development.
Earlier, the Chief of Defence Space Administration, Major General Philip Okechukwu Ilodibia, said modern warfare increasingly depended on timely intelligence, situational awareness, secure communications and effective coordination across multiple operational domains.
He noted that since its establishment on October 9, 2014, the DSA had progressively developed capabilities to support the operational requirements of the Armed Forces and other security agencies. He added that its success should be measured by the operational challenges it resolved, the decisions it enabled and the strategic advantages it delivered.
Major General Ilodibia called for stronger synergy among the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force, stressing that space-enabled intelligence, surveillance, communications and geospatial capabilities could improve joint situational awareness, interoperability and operational effectiveness.
He also advocated sustained collaboration between the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) and the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat) to strengthen indigenous space capabilities. He said the anniversary theme, “Space Power and National Security,” underscored the need to harness Nigeria’s space potential for security, operational effectiveness and strategic autonomy.
In his remarks, former Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin (retd.), described space and cyberspace as critical domains of modern warfare requiring sustained investment. He recalled that the DSA initially operated from facilities provided by NASRDA before the development of its headquarters and Cyber Centre project.
Citing the Russia-Ukraine war, General Olonisakin highlighted the growing role of space technology in modern conflicts, particularly cyberattacks on satellite communications infrastructure and the use of satellite imagery to monitor troop movements. He urged the DSA to leverage strategic partnerships to develop sovereign space capabilities and strengthen national security.
Other dignitaries at the celebration included the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, and the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Defence, Honourable Babajimi Benson.
A posthumous award was presented to Mrs Badeh, wife of the late former Chief of Defence Staff, in recognition of her husband’s contribution to the establishment of the DSA.
The anniversary reaffirmed the Administration’s commitment to advancing Nigeria’s defence space capabilities, strengthening joint military operations and providing timely, reliable and actionable intelligence in support of national security.
