There is a breaking news out of Africa, in a country called Nigeria, a Satellite worth several millions of dollars has just failed less than 18months after it launched into orbit? Nigerian Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited in conjunction with a Chinese company embarked on this white-elephant project, fully seized of the fact that it was ill-timed, ill-conceived, ill-equipped, ill-constructed by unskilled artisans, manufactured of sub-standard materials, ill-managed, not space-worthy, defective and not what the Nigerian populace needs at this time of abject hunger, joblessness, insecurity, election-rigging and general malaise pervading the country.Icheokudotcom asks, what were the master-minds of this venture trying to prove when ordinary electricity is utopia, fantasy and a pure luxury in a country dreaming to be 'so great' by 2020? Icheokudotcom says that the reason why so many countries in Africa like Nigeria is stunted in their growth is that their supposed "leaders" are vision-less and lack a clear set objective or destination about where they want to lead their country to? This purposeless leadership culminates in the all over the map nature of governance in Africa and in Nigeria in particular. Their governments are always without a clearly defined mission statement. This is the reason they are perpetually in the dark, groping, fidgeting and fiddling as to what their priorities should be. They gamble with the destiny of a nation of over 120 million people. It is akin to a blind man leading a nation, resulting in their constant stumbles, falls, via off courses sometimes into the bushes or ditches and their failure to change the trajectory until their cliff-bound, death-journey becomes irretrievably doomed like the satellite under advisement, resulting to the so many failed states throughout the continent of Africa. Peradventure Nigeria may soon make the list of such failed states in Africa, baring a miraculous sense of purpose by her usurping "leaders".
NIGCOMSAT is a public private partnership company under the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Science Technology whose dream mission is to be the leading communication satellite operator and service provider in Africa. It is envisioned to manage and operate the first geostationary communication satellite in Sub-Saharan African under the technical name of NigComSat-1, which has C, Ku, Ka and L bands. NIGCOMSAT is expected to effectively delivery secure, qualitative and value-added satellite services to Africans. NIGCOMSAT is expected to provide comprehensive transmission and application services through digital and/or analog system, operating same by either fixed or mobile satellite, direct broadcast satellite services, end-to-end solution and also to engage in transponder leasing services. However, the multi-million dollar Nigerian satellite NigComSat 1 meant to be the mother-ship of this "dream" project, has just failed. It was shut down due to power trouble leading to fear that it may fall out of space, spin out of control and possibly damage other equipments in orbit. This crippled Chinese-built NigComSat-1 cost Nigeria a whopping sum of thirty-four (34) billion Naira; about $340million dollars USD or £228million British Pounds Sterling. What a misapplied fortune, yet this nation, Nigeria cannot supply power to her people and industries!
The Nigerian government under the headship of this conman here left in the picture, the illegitimate president of Nigeria, Umaru Yar'Adua holding a cell-phone, in a face-saving bare-faced lie, claimed that insurance would cover the loss. But they failed to tell Nigerians which insurance company is carrying the loss and under what terms? Icheokudotcom used 'con-man' because Umaru Yar'Adua stabilized his hijacked presidency by floating the idea of return to rule of law in Nigeria; but has recently metamorphosed into a 'press and media' witch-hunter. Umaru Yar'Adua has put on the jack-boots and today, the fifth-estate is his marked enemy for extinction, just for reporting what is happening in Nigeria under his very inept government. Nigerians heaved a sigh of relieve after the Olusegun Obasanjo eight years of gestapo-like vice-hold on Nigerians, with the new mantra of law and order; but recent events shows that this Umaru is transforming into a cheat, a conniving and contriving little despot. The alleged insurance coverage for this failed satellite may simply be a ruse just to distract Nigerians from asking the hard questions about this satellite mega-drama. Icheokudotcom says it smacks of a cover-up and like the Sani Abacha "recovered" loot, nobody in Nigeria may eventually know the real deal about this satellite. It may likely be swept under the carpet just like many other non-concluded matters in Nigeria.? Where is the warranty for this satellite and what is the track, proven record of the Chinese company in satellite expertise; except for the known fact that the Chinese tries to steal infantile piece-meal technology from the Americans through espionage and moles? It is on record that this NigComSat1 was the first time for China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) to deliver a satellite, launch the service as well as provide ground operating system in one package to any international customer. Nigeria was a gamed-sucker for this Chinese mumbo-jumbo junk. According to some
telecommunications experts, the Nigerian government pulled a fast one on her citizens with the morbid satellite project that was dead upon launch. In their own very words, the NigComSat1 was a "white elephant in space" stating further that the whole operation was just a sham or debacle". The NigComSat 1 satellite which was meant to provide communications for government agencies and broadband Internet services was however limited in capabilities because of the type of frequency it used and was configured with. The satellite was amenable to atmospheric weather fluctuations including being disturbed by clouds, air-pressure and wind. It also did not work properly in Nigeria's rainy season and during the Harmattan season when clouds of dust blow down from the Sahara desert. The satellite also operated on frequencies already allocated to other companies and interfered with other providers' equipment. Icheokudotcom says, with all these available known facts and data to negate the viability of the satellite project, yet the Nigerian authorities went ahead with
it full stream, anyways? We unequivocally say that if this is not a scam on a grand scale, nothing else so qualified the definition of a scam. Where is the EFCC on this criminal defraud of the Nigerian people by her government and the Chinese collaborators? Now take a serious look at the picture here left. You are seeing one of the masterminds of this grandiose scam. Wearing eye-glasses is Ms. Grace Ekpiwhri, the Nigerian Minister for Science & Technology; whose ministry supervises the NIGCOMSAT!Padding this conspiracy theory, is the Nigerian Minister of ''Mis-Information'' John Odey who, while carrying water for his masters in Abuja, insisted that the satellite was a worthwhile investment and that "No technology can be a waste of money". To which Icheokudotcom says that 'a white-elephant technology is a waste of money' and that there are other more credible projects this amount of money could have been more prudently invested in for maximum beneficial result to impact on the fortunes of Nigerians. This fella, John Odey, has lied through his teeth to the Nigerian public and ought to resign his office immediately. Continuing his rantings, John Odey asserted that "Nigerians should see the satellite as desirable and that it has served a purpose." Icheokudotcom rejects this claim as baloney and states that desirability is not synonymous with a need; and that a whopping $340 million dollars investment should not be stupidly and thoughtlessly wasted by a government, simply to serve a purpose!
To see the depth of misinformation in Nigeria, a junior minister in the Science & Technology ministry Alhassan Zaku told Nigerians that their satellite had lost power and had to be "parked, like you would park a car". To which Icheokudotcom asks, what planet are these Nigerian "leaders" from, to bold-facedly lie to Nigerians that you can park a satellite in space, motionless, like you would a car? Don't this dido-head know that space is a void and things therein including other celestial-debris are in perpetual motion. Shameless government officials? Another mallam from a sharia school, maybe?
Do not let his boyish, clean-shaven face disarm you as you are staring into the eye of another co-conspirator to this satellite scam. His name is T. Ahmed Rufai - the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NIGCOMSAT. His resume and space-technology working experience is known only to his fellow mallams who put him in charge of such a highly, technical, rocket-science based enterprise like a space program
Icheokudotcom while adopting some analysts' conclusion that despite that Nigeria has made nearly $2 trillion in oil revenues over the last 30 years, her population are mostly poor; wonders aloud, how a nation that lacks basic infrastructure that make life livable like power and water, would embark on a satellite ego-trip? This smacks of a government which did not set its priorities right.
The most laughable of this shameful escapade in space is that the Chinese contractor, China Great Wall Industry Corporation, was yet to handover the management of the doomed NigComSat1 to the Nigerian owners/operators; which proper handover was officially scheduled for a yet to come date, May 13, 2009, before the satellite died. Maybe a still-birth satellite? The Chinese in addition to building the satellite, entered into a technical management agreement with the Nigerian owners/operators for a period of 15 years, effective May 14 2007 when the satellite was launched.
The NigcomSat-1 Satellite In-orbit Delivery Contract between Nigeria’s National Space Research and Development Agency (NSRDA) and China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) was signed on December 15, 2004, in Abuja, Nigeria. According to the terms of the contract, CGWIC shall deliver the NigcomSat-1 satellite based on the DFH-4 platform with multiple bands transponders on-board. The satellite will serve Nigeria in the fields of telecommunications, broadcast and broadband services. The LM-3B launch vehicle is going to launch NigcomSat-1. In addition, two ground stations in Abujia, Nigeria and Kashi, China will provide satellite operations support service and China will train Nigerian technical personnel. Icheokudotcom now asks, who in Nigeria ensured compliance on the part of the Chinese company to this contract regarding specification, configuration and training?
It is highly significant that a 15 years life-span satellite barely made it through 18 months! NigComSat-1 was launched on May 14, 2007 and died on November 10, 2008! What a feat by the Nigerian Authorities and their Chinese counterparts? Bravo!
The composite picture shows the Chinese made CZ-3B Launch vehicle blasting off into space, laden with the NigComSat1 on May 14th, 2007, at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province China. About 26 minutes after launch, the NigcomSat-1 satellite entered into the pre-determined Geostationary Transfer Orbit with an apogee of 41,951 km, a perigee of 209 km and an inclination of 25°. NigComSat1 was developed by China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), a subsidiary to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC); the three-axis stabilized NigcomSat-1 satellite is based on the DFH-4 satellite bus and has a launch mass of 5,150 kg and a service life of 15 years. It is equipped with four (4) C-band , 14 Ku-band transponders, eight (8) Ka-band and Two (2) L-band transponders. The CZ-3B launch vehicle was developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), a subsidiary of CASC. However the contraption failed just after 18 months.
The composite picture shows the Chinese made CZ-3B Launch vehicle blasting off into space, laden with the NigComSat1 on May 14th, 2007, at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province China. About 26 minutes after launch, the NigcomSat-1 satellite entered into the pre-determined Geostationary Transfer Orbit with an apogee of 41,951 km, a perigee of 209 km and an inclination of 25°. NigComSat1 was developed by China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), a subsidiary to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC); the three-axis stabilized NigcomSat-1 satellite is based on the DFH-4 satellite bus and has a launch mass of 5,150 kg and a service life of 15 years. It is equipped with four (4) C-band , 14 Ku-band transponders, eight (8) Ka-band and Two (2) L-band transponders. The CZ-3B launch vehicle was developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), a subsidiary of CASC. However the contraption failed just after 18 months.As a stop-gap measure to cushion the hardship of the failed satellite, T. Ahmed Rufai said NigComSat will migrate its customers to other leased satellite pending a new satellite. According to him, his company was ready to lease four or five transponders (satellite circuits) to enable its customers return to business. Icheokudotcom says, satellite technology is for most part, a private company venture and that the patently incompetent Nigeria government has no business dabbling or meddling therein and better still should have only leased circuits and pay as per use. For a competent government, it is laudable but not Nigeria as it today stands where nothing has been beneficiary and profitably managed successfully.
However the spokesperson for Chinese Great Wall Industry Corporation, Ku Geng, explaining what happened to the NigComSat 1 said that "the solar wing malfunctioned, which led to exhaustion of electric power and then the satellite failed."
The DFH-4 bus platform can be used in high capacity broadcast communication satellite,
new generation direct broadcasting satellite, new generation tracking and data relay satellite, regional mobile communication satellite, etc. The platform comprises propulsion module, service module and solar array. It has a payload capacity of 588 kg and an output power of 10.5 kW by the end of its lifetime. Its design lifetime is 15 years and its reliability by the end of lifetime is more than 0.78. Based on versatility, inheritance, expandability and promptness principles and mature technology, the platform will reach world advanced level to meet the needs of international and domestic large communication satellite markets. The Nigerian authorities failed to study extensively the failure rate of the DFH-4 Bus technology which was used in NIGCOMSAT1. The Nigeria authorities also failed to note that the DFH-4 technology is a work in progress which has recorded many failures including the Chinese Sinosat 2 satellite; which equally failed to deploy its solar arrays in orbit before the catastrophic failure of the same DFH-4 Bus based technology NIGCOMSAT 1 of similar defect in November 2008.
The dead upon lunch NigcomSat-1 was supposed to play an important role in Nigeria telecommunications - providing urban and rural telephony, trunking and relay services, mobile and paging services, corporate and VSAT networks as well as inter-carrier services. It would have also been used for broadcasting high-definition TV and DTH services, multimedia, video streaming, audio and sound services, internet and multimedia services of video conference, solutions for virtual private networks and VoIP protocols, real time monitoring services, navigation and global positioning coverage. Icheokudotcom says that there are other more pressing matters these Nigerian air-heads in government would have concentrated their effort at and which could have been a better utilization of this wasted money. How can a country which cannot even feed her populace, supply her populace with much needed but never available power and energy, which cannot tar or pave her roads to make them motor-able, which cannot build or rebuild existing but dilapidated bridges, which cannot find jobs for the over 45% unemployed manpower, which cannot equip and competently train her police-force to combat the high insecurity problems militating against everything in NIgeria, which cannot build and/or maintain a functioning medical center of excellence that her president is always in one overseas hospital bed of one country after another, which cannot pay salaries etc, have the guts or misplaced audacity to embark on space satellite technology, if not to create an avenue to loot the treasury? 
Nigerians are straving and dying of common colds and malaria yet these buffoons in Abuja have the idiocy and temerity to be wasting very scarce resources, playing in a league far and beyond their capabilities and know-how? It is a shame indeed! Nigeria, a country that was rated among Brazil and India in the 60's as the countries to watch out for. Today Brazil and India has left the snail-speed Nigeria out in the loops where it is still groping for direction since her independence in 1960. Brazil is a nuclear nation, manufactures vehicles, has a viable satellite program, makes aircrafts and is almost self-sufficient in a home-grown bio-fuel. India's Chanai is the Silicon valley of the South East Asia! Their medical and pharmaceutical prowess is world reknowned, have a viable space program that Indian satellite is today mapping out the mo0n surface following a successful launch into orbit of Indian made satelillte and vehicle, India is also a nuclear power. What has Nigeria got to show for its 48 years of "independent" existence but a band of bandits and election-riggers masquerading as "leaders" where a person who did not win an election is imposed on the country as her president. Umaru Yar"Adua, resign your illegitimate presidency today because it is now indelibly tainted by this satellite scandal! That will be a good place to start the Nigeria Rejuvenation! ENOUGH of this brigandry! 
Whose Satellite is it anyway? The Chinese undertakers or the Hausa/Fulani oligarchs swindlers of Nigeria PLC? Remember Senator Jubril Aminu and the $12million dollars SIEMENS bribery scandal; yet he is still in the Nigerian Senate as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Adamawa State! Only in a corruption-infested country like Nigeria will a Senator Jubril Aminu remain in the Senate instead of cooling his heels in the big house (prison) for massive corruption. But such an infamy is possible because all of the so-called leaders are tainted in corruption. Which Nigerian leader is not corrupt? None! Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida owns a private jet in addition to inumerable other assets and you wonder how else could he have gotten them if not for corruption? WHo was his daddy and which business did he do as an army officer or did he inherit any trust-fund as the source of his stupendous weath? Remember it was during his Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida's hijack of Nigeria that the $180 million dollars Halliburton bribery scandal involving Nigerian top government officials took place? Is it Sani Abacha? - some of his $500 million dollars loot, recovered under Olusegun Obasanjo, government has since developed wings and flew into yet another corrupt official's bank account. Olusegun Obasanjo is corruption personified. David Mark, the Nigerian Senate President stole to his heart's delight as Nigeria's Minister of Communication under Ibrahim Babangida's interregnum and his $33 million dollars golf course in Ireland speaks volume to that fact. Some members of the House of Representatives are, in addition to being very corrupt, 419 criminal operators as acknowledged by one of them. So corruption is the augean stable wherein many a Nigerian leader instead of fighting finds themselves wallowing in and sometimes enmeshed to the neck themselves. In Nigeria, corruption is such a vicious circle that it is so ingrained in their body-fabric that no Nigerian 'leader' or official has any moral standing to question another's corruption. However, Icheokudotcom does not blame these bandits in power or government for their abysmal perchant for corruption; no, we blame the timidity of the Nigerian people whose cowardice these leaders take full advantage of and cash in to loot Nigerian treasury dry. It is a Total Bullshit! In conclusion, we posit that this satellite project was a scam and hereby urge you to register your protest accordingly by contacting, calling, emailing, texting or through direct mails or even physical visit to the principal henchmen and a woman mentioned above; whose action/inaction caused Nigerians the loss of so much scarce resources. Please insist that these people stop henceforth any further attempt at supposedly 'launching' another contraption into space with the anything goes, once the price is right, Chinese authorities! The Nigerian Authorities can be reached via:-
NIGCOMSAT LTD.
20 Justice Mohammed Bello Street, Asokoro, Abuja, Nigeria
Phone/Fax:-+234.9.314.5759,+234.9.480.5909+234.9.314.5758
Email: info@nigcomsat.org
The Chinese contractor can be reached via:-
The Chinese contractor can be reached via:-
China Great Wall Industry Corporation
67 Beisihuan Xilu, Haidian District, Beijing 100080, P. R. China
67 Beisihuan Xilu, Haidian District, Beijing 100080, P. R. China
Tel: 86-10-8810218886-10-88102000 Fax: 86-10-88102107
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Christy 'Apena' Essien-Igbokwe , the wife of Jegede Shokoya of the New Masquerade and Nigeria's lady of songs is dead; she was 51years old. Although her family claimed that "brief Illness" killed her like so many Nigerians; Icheoku retorts that it was most likely AKwa Ibom voodoo and remote control that was used to arrest her. It is on record that she had fallen out with the governor of her native Akwa Ibiom State and have been having a relentless war for political turf with the governor? So who knows whether she was sacrificed to Ekpe cult or even Alusi-Okija as an offal; afterall African science is still very much alive and portent. May her soul rest in peace.
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NIGCOMSAT: The Mystery Deepens
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Prince Charles Dickson
November 21st, 2008
The Nigerian Telecom sector may find it difficult suppressing a wink at the news that Nigerian Communications Satellite or NIGCOMSAT-1, launched 18 months ago has been lost in orbit. In the light of the unfolding drama, they may indeed have good reason. The satellite under reference is Nigeria's greatest space technology asset to date.
As a typical Nigerian project, its main challenge had been in implementation, management and integrity. This predictable dimension had introduced developments where managers had been unable to advance satisfactory explanations. It deepened the mystery.
NIGCOMSAT-1 is a hybrid communications satellite, which means that it offers a variety of communications frequencies that can be used for different purposes. These are usually not found on a single satellite. These features make the NIGCOMSAT-1 a very interesting and unique satellite.
It features two L-Band Transponders, eight Ka Band Transponders, four C-Band Transponders and 14 KU- Band Transponders. The Satellite is in geo-synchronous orbit, meaning it hovers over a specific location about 40,000 miles above earth. To serve its purpose, it was positioned above the eastern shore of Somalia, from which it was able to beam signals over Western Europe, Africa and parts of Asia.
NIGCOMSAT-1 was built and launched in China by China Great Wall Industries Corporation (CGWIC). Significantly, it is the first of its kind ever undertaken by that company. Till today, the terms of the transaction and contract for the project remain a mystery as the story is constantly changing. What began as a $200 million project has been reported variously as $300 million, $400 million and is now generally fixed between $450 million or N40 billion.
Only recently, the USA lifted sanctions on China Great Wall Industry Corporation. They were imposed against China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) pursuant to Executive Order 13382 through a de-listing by the U.S. Treasury Department. It was placed on the Specially Designated Nationals list prohibiting CGWIC from engaging in business in the United States or with U.S. persons.
The most startling aspect of the entire project is that the so-called Nigerian Communications Satellite does not have any terrestrial connection to Nigeria. Unsubstantiated reports claim that the satellite has a Ground Control Centre in Abuja Nigeria and Gateway's in Northern Nigeria, South Africa, Germany and China. In reality, the only Ground Station that appears to have regular contact with the satellite is that based in Kashi, China, often touted by NIGCOMSAT management as a back-up centre. Findings reveal that it is indeed the main and only Ground Control Centre. The satellite is controlled solely and entirely from China.
Another weakness in the implementation of the NIGCOMSAT-1 Project is the absence of a Teleport in Nigeria. Claims of having or using Teleports in Germany, China etc are moot as they defeat the purpose of having a Nigerian Satellite in the first place.
Over the past year the NIGCOMSAT management has been embroiled in an unsavoury confrontation with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the question of whether NIGCOMSAT Ltd should be granted licence to provide GSM or CDMA telephony services. This decision is most certainly as a result of a knee-jerk reaction to the reluctance of the incumbent mobile telephony operators to use NIGCOMSAT as their connectivity provider in Nigeria.
Interestingly, one plausible reason why the carriers rejected the NIGCOMSAT option is that NIGCOMSAT C-Band Transponders operate on an abnormal frequency referred to as the Extended C-Band. C-Band is the preferred frequency for Voice Data applications due to its greater bandwidth and its resilience to adverse weather conditions like heavy rain.
The resolve of the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission to insist on due process and diligence was grossly under- estimated. The NCC was perplexed that NIGCOMSAT, which had hardly taken off as a Satellite Operator and already facing challenges to deliver on its mandate, would instantly transmute into a Mobile Operator.
Contrary to its declared objectives at inception, NIGCOMSAT-1 has made no impact thus far on the Nigerian communications landscape in terms of increasing available resources or reducing prices or access barriers. There are presently no ISPs in Nigeria that have deployed services using the NIGCOMSAT-1 Transponders, although many have paid money in advance and are still waiting for the NIGCOMSAT Teleport.
NIGCOMSAT is so incapable of providing Internet related services to anybody that today it relies on a Lagos-based Internet Service Provider to provide it with access to the Internet and another Abuja-based ISP provides the backup. This is the Internet it uses to connect China to find out how things are going with its Satellite.
It is therefore alarming that a company that claims to be the pivot of Nigeria's technological aspirations, last updated in 2006.
A source inside the Chinese Consulate described the whole thing as a sham, blaming greedy Nigerians for the whole satellite project.
In a telephone chat with Mr. Ahmed Rufai, NIGCOMSAT's managing director, he said insurance would pay for a replacement and Nigerians should still be proud of the country's satellite programme. But how this "white elephant in space" was "insured" or by whom has yet to be told.
"It may not be far from the truth to say that for the past 18 months Nigerians have only been taken for a ride", a source at NCC source stated, "because we cannot even point to any person that was benefiting from the so-called NIGCOMSAT thing." She added.
The House of Representatives and opposition Action Congress (AC) are among the many Nigerians that have called for a full investigation even as there is a call for monies to be released for NigComSat-1R, after the colossal failure of NigComSat 1.
NITEL probes SAT-3 failure, restores service
ReplyDeleteBy Everest Amaefule, Abuja
Published: Friday, 21 Nov 2008
The Nigerian Telecommunications Limited has begun investigations into the circumstances that led to the damage of its end-of-the- continent submarine telecommunications cable, popularly known as SAT-3.
The Managing Director, NITEL, Mr. Kevin Caruso, disclosed this in a statement signed and made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday by Deputy General Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr. Abubakar Shehu.
Caruso also disclosed that the company had been able to fix the damage suffered by the cable, 46 kilometres into the high sea at 1.3km depth, with the assistance of Alcatel of France and the SAT-3 Network Operating Centre in South Africa.
The NITEL boss described the cable as the most priced asset of the beleaguered telecom company meant to help it to formulate a strategy for uninterrupted services to clients connected to the continental link and the rest of the world.
He said, “I am quite delighted to announce the repair of SAT-3 cable and the subsequent restoration of SAT-3 services to our numerous customers. With the restoration, Internet and gateway connectivity are now open and optimised.
“We have not only repaired the cable, but we have also put some mechanisms in place to further protect the cable from future damage and attendant disruption of services. Our investigation into the causes and consequences of the damage is ongoing and will assist us in our quest for uninterrupted services provision.”
Nigeria, Chinese firms meet over missing satellite
ReplyDeleteBy Sonny Aragba-Akpore
WORRIED about the negative implications of the "lost" Nigerian Satellite (NigComSat-1) in space about two weeks ago, officials of China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) and Export-Import Bank (EXIM) of China arrived in Nigeria at the weekend to hold talks with President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat Ltd) and other officials with a view to finding a solution to the failed satellite.
NigComSat-1 was powered down on November 10, as a result of crisis with the solar panel whose battery powers began to deplete from 42 amps to 33 and finally hitting 18 amps, necessitating a shut down.
NigComSat Managing Director, Mr. Ahmed Rufai, foreclosed the possibility of recovering NigComSat-1, saying, "the chances are slim," last week.
NigComSat-1 was the 18th of the 19 satellites that have so far failed this year alone.
The visit of the Chinese delegation is a follow-up to an earlier letter to President Yar'Adua dated November 12, 2008, two days after NigComSat-1 was parked in the orbit.
It was signed by China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) President, Mr. Wang Haibo, who is now the head of delegation to Nigeria.
He said in his November 12 letter to President Yar'Adua titled: "Join hands with confidence in time of difficulties" that "Mr. President may have already been informed about the failure of NigComSat-1 in space."
Wang whose company is the contractor on behalf of China Space Academy said that he regretted the crash, especially the difficulties and troubles caused by the failure, adding that although in the field of space, similar technical failures were not uncommon, especially in telecommunications satellite with large capacity.
"As Nigeria-China relationship is always highly emphasised by the Chinese government, this space programme has been viewed as a sample of the sincere co-operation. We reported the situation to all related government organisations immediately, including Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and Export and Import Bank of China (Eximbank) and they are getting very positive and supportive. So, I can stand in firm confidence today to re-assure Your Excellency that China Great Wall Industry Corp, (CGWIC) and China Aerospace would not leave our customer in time of difficulty."
He explained that "internally, we are making all efforts and putting together all resources targeting at a new solution, I will lead a Chinese delegation to visit your country very soon to discuss and review the solution in details. There are lessons to learn and opportunity in every challenge. We would like to assure that with your kind consideration for NigComSat-2/3, Nigeria will rise above these challenges with three satellites in orbit within the shortest possible time, sufficient to back-up one another, while making Nigeria the ICT hub of Africa.
"We held fruitful meeting with Eximbank, which is the major source of funds for NigComSat-1. Eximbank is strongly supportive to work with CGWIC and our Nigerian customers to overcome the difficulties," he said.
"On behalf of CGWIC, we are looking forward to working with Nigeria to achieve Your Excellency's aim of benefiting your people and your country with the advantages of space technology."
The meeting between the Federal Government and the Chinese delegation continues tomorrow. It was put on hold till tomorrow to enable Science and Technology Minister, Mrs. Grace Ekpiwhre participate. The minister and the leader of the Chinese delegation are expected to present a position paper tomorrow after the meeting.
In a similar vein, experts have begun to drum support for the resuscitation of NigComSat-1 and building of NigComSat-2 and 3.
"Government must not waste time in launching these satellites. As a country, we have made powerful statements with the launch of NigComSat-1 as the first black country to have a footprint in space, despite the negative criticisms from a lot of western interests and their cohorts here in Africa. But the fact that NigComSat-1 changed the entire market thinking about bandwidth pricing before its technical problems proved that this is a road we must take," said Patrick Edeh, Senior Engineering Manager at Philips Place, Lagos.
"We must see this as a challenge. The satellite industry is a high-risk sector but it offers immense benefits for any nation that veers into it. The manpower skill acquisition and infrastructure and possibility of socio-economic improvements are tremendous. Every serious country wants to have a stake in the satellite industry. We must commend the Nigerian government for getting us into it, said Shola Taylor, telecoms analyst with extensive knowledge of the global satellite industry. Taylor is a consultant on the pan- Africa satellite initiative RASCOM QAF-1 and Nigeria's satellite project NigComSat-1.
"There is a lot of misconception out there about the satellite industry that has tended to portray our entry as a disastrous one. More than 30 satellites have developed different levels of serious errors in the last 24 months built by the best hands in Europe and the United States (U.S.) But you don't make fuss over this. You simply track down the problems, make amends and move on with newer investment that is ultimately justifiable. The lesson is that we must remain up there in orbits with not one satellite but several if we must sustain the radical changes we have initiated in the African satellite space", said Pius Ikedife, a Lagos-based technology analyst and a promoter of rural telephony in eastern Nigeria.
"This incident is unfortunate. But we hope that it would be successfully addressed with more of Nigerian communication satellites in space very soon. With NigComSat-1, we at Emperion were able to leverage on the lower cost of high quality service to have competitive advantage over others," said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Emperion West Africa, Sandeep Jayaswal. He said NigComSat-1 offered a rare window of bringing premium services to the market that foreign satellite companies could not have offered.
The satellite industry is full of mishaps. In September 2006, Intelsat 802, the spacecraft of leading satellite operator, Intelsat, developed "sudden and unexpected anomaly." It was built by world renowned Lockheed Martin (formerly GE Astro Space). In the same year, Thaicom 3, built by Europe-based Alcatel Alenia Space, was "put in graveyard orbit after power problems lead to its total loss." Alcatel Alenia Space also built the ill-fated RASCOM QAF-1 communication satellite.
Hotbird 3, owned and operated by Eutelsat, had its solar array damaged in October 2006. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency lost its MTSAT-1R in April 2006. The satellite failed to operate and lost attitude on April 16. However, it was regained 16 hours later and about a year after, it was originally launched. PanAmSat lost its PAS-6 communication satellite in 2004 due to significant loss of power. It was built by the highly reputable SpaceSystems/Loral (SS/L). PAS-6, which was used as a back-up for PAS-6B, was put in graveyard orbit in April 2004. The losses were unanticipated by the American satellite giant. Some of the more recent mishaps in the satellite industry include the total loss of RASCOM QAF-1 due to a leak in helium sub-system during its launch in December 2007; the loss in control of Astra 5A in October 2008 (control was regained two weeks later); the partial failure of the power system of Galaxy 26 leading to the loss of half of the satellite's capacity; the loss of one of the solar arrays of Eutelsat W5 due to motor malfunction in June 2008. The Eutelsat is Europe's leading satellite backbone provider.
NigComSat-1 was launched by the Chinese opening a new chapter of partnership between China and Nigeria in space research and technology. The satellite life-span was originally 15 years. Since the launch of NigComSat-1, China has launched other communication satellites for Peru, Venezuela and Bolivia to consolidate on its first export of commercial satellite with the launch of NigComSat-1.
CBAN boss wants EFCC, ICPC to probe NigComSat
ReplyDeleteBy Olalekan Adetayo
Published: Monday, 24 Nov 2008
The President, Certified Board of Administrators of Nigeria, Prof. Gbolahan Dairo, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission to probe all those involved in the Nigerian Satellite Communication project.
The project, which was built and inaugurated on May 14, 2007 by Great Wall Industry Corporation of China, was to be handed over on May 13, 2009 with technical back up for 15 years, before it was beset with problems.
Speaking during the induction of CBAN’s new members and conferment of fellowship on others, on Friday, Gbolahan said that he suspected foul play in the NigComSat project because the United States of America and the Britain, which inaugurated its satellite many years ago, had not recorded any case of the satellite breaking down or missing.
He regretted that unlike what was obtainable in developed countries, Nigerian leaders believed in cutting corners when embarking on any national project to enrich themselves.
He said that to serve as deterrent to others, the anti-graft agencies must endeavour to bring the offenders to book.
He said, “Satellite communication is the bedrock of information of any nation. Countries such as America, China and Britain are controlling the world through their strong satellite communication which they launched into space many years ago.
“The above countries do not compromise quality in whatever they produce because corruption in such countries is at lowest level if it is in existence at all.
“In Nigeria, you are aware of our leaders’ reckless spending, corrupt enrichment, contract inflation and others.”
NigComSat: Insurers To Pay N17b Claims
ReplyDeleteBy Sola Alabadan, Snr Correspondent, Lagos
Insurers providing cover for NigComSat-1 now grounded in space may pay as much as N17 billion in claims.
The satellite, built by the China Great Wall Industry Corporation at a cost of $340 million, became the first African geosynchronous communications satellite when it was launched in China on May 13 last year.
It is operated by tthe Nigerian Space Agency (NASRDA) and NigComSat, which said it was put into "emergency mode operation in order to effect mitigation and repairs."
A consortium of international insurance firms - including SpaceCo of France, Munich Cray of Germany, and the People's Insurance Company of China - reportedly provided cover for the satellite.
Local insurance companies, which banded together as co-insurers, may have retained about 10 per cent of the risks and shared an equivalent percentage of the premium.
They are now expected to contribute an equivalent percentage of the total claims.
Sources said about five local insurance companies, comprising mainly of subsidiaries of banks, may be having problems raising the funds to pay.
The shareholders' funds of the banks amount to about N5 billion; so, as a source put it, "some insurance companies in the country which provided cover for NigComSat may be in trouble.
"They are expected to pay claims arising from this failure to the tune of N17 billion. Where are they expected to get the money to settle the claims, is it from their N5 billion shareholders' fund?"
International WAPIC Insurance, the local lead underwriter in 2007, was said to have been edged out during the renewal for the business in 2008.
NICON was supposed to be the lead underwriter, but its efforts were sabotaged by other insurance companies owned by powerful organisations and individuals who saw a juicy deal without anticipating problems.
NigComSat-1 is meant to boost Nigeria's communications revolution and make Internet technology accessible to remote villages in the country and on the continent.
It is also designed for security surveillance for other sectors such as the oil and gas, covering Africa and parts of the Middle East and Asia.
Missing NigComSat Was Fully Insured – NASRDA
ReplyDeleteE-MAIL THIS PRINT THIS MOST POPULAR PDF VERSION XML VERSION TXT version
Justus Nduwugwe and Kyela Aminu Abuja
November 24th, 2008
NigComSat II, the Nigerian satellite, which in the past few weeks has been causing ripples in the country over its viability and serviceability has again bounced back to public reckoning as a fully insured project.
This time, the Director General of National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Professor Robert Ajayi Boroffice assured Nigerians over the missing Nigcomsat II, stating that the satellite was fully insured and that it even had international underwriters.
In a chat with the Economic Confidential, economic intelligence magazine, monitored by LEADERSHIP, the Director General of NASRDA, refuted the outrageous claims on the amount expended to launch the recently de-orbited Nigeria Satellite. He said that "at no time was N46 billion used for the launching of either Nigcomsat 1 or Nicomsat2."
The N40billion Naira project which came to being amidst pump and pageantry and the pride of the country, soon became a source of embarrassment for the country when it crashed almost a fortnight ago.
As a spin-off of the crash, it was also discovered that the Chinese engineers of the project had been sanctioned against ever doing business in the United States of America.
Furthermore, news from some quarters alleged that the satellite was not insured, thus leaving Nigeria to bear the entire bill of the satellite's misfortune.
However, the Director General of NASRDA Dtr Robert Ajayi Borroffice over the weekend reiterated that the satellite project was fully insured.
In his words, "The Nigerian space industry is fully insured by reputable international underwriters who would pay us at anytime we stake our claims."
Prof. Boroffice added that: "We collected a loan of $200 million from a Chinese bank and the Nigerian government provided $56 million. The money was used for building the ground station of Nigcomsat, training of 50 space engineers, payment for insurance and launching of the satellite. It was a total package."
Furthermore, he pointed out that "Nigcomsat 1 was launched with a life- span of 5 years which has already expired. The data generated were sold, while revenue accrued.
The monies were used to offset the loan on the project as well as pay into the nation's treasury."
On the Nigcomsat 2 he regretted that "even though we are very sad at the recent development, the benefits of space research, and not the cost, must be taken into cognizance."
He added that "such mishaps are a regular occurrence in the industry." He cited examples of other satellites that were equally launched after Nigcomsat 2 but were not successful. Popular among them were the Pan-African Communication Satellite and the Sky News Satellite that were both launched last year but failed.
Taking the magazine on the tour of facilities at NASRDA, Mr. Boroffice disclosed how they began operation in a room with about 30 staff and how grew through hard-work and the judicious use of funds allotted them by government.
Pointing to structures at NASRDA, headquarters along Airport Road in Abuja , he revealed that: "The gate house, the administrative building, the blue building, the research block, network of roads, the lights and reticulation of water were built with just N500million."
Fielding questions on how the adventure into space affects the common man, he pointed to the mobile satellite bases equipped with medical examination facilities that enable doctors to diagnose patients from their bases at designated teaching hospitals and administer medications to rural dwellers. He also said that the construction industry use satellite images from the technology to build roads while the Fadama rice projects in the country were enhanced by satellite data. He added that "all of which largely benefited by the ordinary Nigerians."
Asked how NASRDA can remain consistent and not go the way of several Nigerian projects that have become comatose after the retirement of the progenitors or passing away of the regime that initiated them, he spoke on their road map at NASRDA: "We believe in capacity building at NASRDA because every organization that wants to be relevant must build on human capacity. We are putting in place a roadmap for 25 years in order to ensure consistency and sustainability. We actually need a lot of funds every year for sustenance."
He commended the government for supporting the investment in the space industry and called on Nigerians to understand the need for it. He also called on the press to see themselves as stakeholders in the space industry as no valuable communication can be achieved without the utilization of the data from the space.
NigComSat Apologises To Nigerians
ReplyDeleteBy Francis Iwuchukwu, Reporter, Lagos
NigComSat on Wednesday apologised to its customers over the de-orbiting of Nigeria Communications Satellite (NigComSat-1) on November 10, 2008.
A statement issued by NigComSat Director (Strategy, Marketing and Corporate Communications), Abimbola Alale, expressed appreciation for the concerns raised by Nigerians, particularly on the promises the satellite holds for the country as an instrument for socio-economic transformation.
"The spontaneous outpouring of emotions by Nigerians upon the confirmation of the technical hitch suffered by the satellite and slim chances of recovery is a clear demonstration that this project is close to the heart of many Nigerians.
"We feel humbled and highly challenged by this demonstration," Alale said.
He noted that space technology is a high risk-high gain exercise reserved for those with the heart and the nerve to dare, but while the risk is high, the cost of ignoring it is daunting and even higher.
"Many successful entrepreneurs state invariably that they have learned as much from their failures as their successes. In the words of Jeff Wuorio, 'failure underscores the need to take chances.'
"The cliche is right: If you take no risks, there will be no rewards. And if you are taking risks, almost by definition, you are going to fail at some point.
"Success can breed complacency. If everything goes right all the time, you are less likely to try something new.
"Consequently, we face our present challenges with the firm belief that we will overcome it with the resulting lessons. Indeed, failure can force you to rethink and test every assumption.
"Whenever something goes wrong, an opportunity is created to step up your thinking and creativity a notch higher in order to fix not only the particular problem but also identify those broader elements that may have led to the snafu and others like it."
When the decision makers in the failed satellite project said the project was fully insured by international underwriters, we ignored the right questions or did not ask the right way.
ReplyDeleteThe question is not whether the project was insured.
The question is...WHO IS/ARE THE INSURER(S).
Who cares if the crazy satellite blanked out or not. It should either be replaced or our money refunded. PERIOD!!!
If it was not insured then it's a different issue altogether. If it was, then give us the insurer and that statement "...The Nigerian space industry is fully insured by reputable international underwriters who would pay us at anytime we stake our claims." is as blank as the person who made it.
Stake a claim now or shoot your self in the head because you are toiling with people's intelligence. For a public servant of that caliber to make such a statement, it shows we are really visionless.
Read history my dear, so many great nations went through this situation. However, prices were paid. We are paying ours but this satellite will not die like that.
If a country is sick, the leaders will be sick. They bear the burden of the spirits and souls they rule.
Nigeria, China seal deal on new satellites
ReplyDeleteBy Sonny Aragba-Akpore, Deputy Communications Editor
SEVENTY-seven days after the country's pioneer Satellite, NigComSat-1 disappeared in orbit, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat-1) and its Chinese technical partners, China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC), have sealed a deal for the replacement of NigComSat-1 and staggered building of two other satellites - NigComSat-2 and NigComSat-3.
Government sources at the weekend said the deal was sealed last week between both companies and representatives of Nigeria and China.
NigComSat-1 disappeared on November 10, last year as a result of power failure, throwing many businesses and corporate organisations into a dilemma since there was no backup.
But officials of NigComSat said at the weekend that the reason for the building of two additional satellites was principally to serve as backup and forestall a situation where businesses crash along with a failed satellite.
For example, Astra 5A satellite which served many cable networks in Germany and Internet networks across Eastern Europe crashed last week but because it had a back-up all customers were smoothly migrated to another Astra satellite with minimal losses.
The replacement of NigCOmSat-1 will be concluded in the last quarter of next year (2010) while NigCOmSat-2 and NigCOmSat-3 will come on stream six months and 12 months respectively from the re-launch of NigCOmSat-1.
NigComSat-1, unlike ASTRA 5A, had no back-up satellite thus exposing the Nigeria satellite company to one of the industry's most dreaded challenges that is, inability to switch clients to other satellites when problems occur in orbit. To prevent a recurrence, China wants a staggered plan for the launch of NigComSat- 2 and NigComSat-3 built into the new deal as part of strategies to avoid the dilemma faced by customers when the solar panel of Africa's first communication satellite failed last year.
The Chinese are going ahead with the building of the replacement satellite for NigComSat-1 while under-writers work on insurance claims by China and Nigeria. NigcomSat-1 was built by the CGWIC at a cost of $256 million.
Operated by NigComSat Limited, it became the first African geosynchronous communications satellite when it was launched. NigComSat-1 was insured by a consortium of international insurance firms - including SpaceCo of France, Munich Cray of Germany and the People's Insurance Company of China. Local insurance companies, which banded together as co-insurers, retained about 10 per cent of the risks and shared an equivalent percentage of the premium.
China is also providing the lead fund for the replacement of the NigComSat-1 and the subsequent launch of the two back-up satellites, a senior ministry official said in Abuja.
His words: "The Chinese government is particularly worried by the misconception surrounding the satellite as expressed in the media here in the country. It is also concerned that its first efforts at exporting its satellite technology to a country like Nigeria is being mis-construed by the unfortunate loss. It has, therefore, given instructions that all efforts must be put together to straighten things out. But the Nigerian and Chinese governments are keen to address the challenge quickly."
The NigComSat- project inspired Nigeria's push to have its own satellite built by its own engineers by 2015. One of the cardinal aims of the initiative was to create a pool of Nigerian satellite engineers to sustain the country's entry into space technology.
"The cornerstone of Nigeria's Communications Satellite project is to develop indigenous capability in satellite building, hence the inclusion of training under a Know How Technology Transfer (KHTT) programme for the company's engineers. The training and learning under the programme can never be lost but rather developed further and applied as in the present case to address national technological challenges and requirement," said NigComSat Limited in an official statement by its Director of Strategy, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Abimbola Alale.
NigComSat-1 was recorded as an in-orbit loss 18 months after its successful launch to join the league of other satellites that have been parked in orbit.
The satellite industry remains a high-stake venture with a mix of great benefits and risks. According to Geng Kun, spokesman for CGWIC, "the solar wing malfunctioned, which led to exhaustion of electric power, then the satellite failed. Most satellites carry solar panels on an extendable wing to generate electricity, with backup batteries activated only when in the earth's shadow."
More than 60 satellites built in Europe, Asia and the Americas have in the last 18 months been lost in space with varying degrees of problems. But solar panel failure accounts for a greater percentage of the loss. They include the loss of Intelsat 802, Thaicom 3, built by Europe-based Alcatel Alenia Space, Hotbird 3 owned and operated by Eutelsat, PAS-6 communication satellite, RASCOM QAF-1 and Galaxy 26 among others between 2004 and 2008.
Alale added: "Nigeria's challenges with NigComSat-1 highlights some of the learning curves of India's entry into the satellite industry over a decade ago. India's first attempts in space with INSAT-1A built by Ford Aerospace of USA, now Loral Space System, and launched on April 10, 1982 failed barely four months later on September 6, 1982. One year later, a replacement satellite, INSAT-B, built by the same firm launched on August 30, 1983 also suffered until September 1983 when the controllers were able to deploy its solar array, thus enabling it to operate until 1990 when it was finally replaced by INSAT-ID.
"India's third satellite, INSAT-1C launched on 21 July, 1988 to provide back-up to INSAT-1B, also failed one year in-orbit in 1999 when a power system failure knocked out one of the two buses. Unrelenting, India forged ahead to the point where it developed its first indigenous satellite that was launched in 1992 barely 10 years after its first satellite purchase.
"Despite the NigComSat-1 failure, "a lot has been and is being achieved by this project. Nigeria today remains the first country in Africa to own a communications satellite and among the first 45 nations of the world to have a satellite in space. We are also among the first 17 to own two spacecraft in a period of three years.
"Today, Nigeria has over 100 spacecraft engineers that have the capacity to design a satellite, assembly, integrate and test with available facilities. Nigerians have developed competency in space craft station keeping and telemetry software engineering which spin off is being channeled in applied research to address national needs and challenges."
NigComSat Budgets $500m For New Satellites
ReplyDeleteBy Adetutu Folasade-Koyi, Snr Correspondent, Abuja
Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComsat) Managing Director, Ahmed Rufai, disclosed on Monday that the country would have to shell out $500 million to launch two satellites to replace NigComSat 1 that disintegrated less than two years after launch.
The new satellites would be ready by 2011.
Rufai told the Senate Public Accounts Committee that China Great Wall Industrial Company (CGWIC), the same company that built NigComSat 1 at a cost of $251 million, would also build and launch the new ones.
He said NigComSat 1 was not initially built for commercial purposes but deployed for such when mobile telephony debuted in Nigeria.
Regardless, he noted, it generated N98 million and another $456,000 as revenue, out of which N45 million was remitted to the Federation Account.
The Committee wondered why the same company would be awarded another contract for NigComSat 2 and 3.
Committee Chairman, Ahmad Lawan, expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation given by the Nigeria Satellite Commission over the missing NigComSat, which cost N40 billion.
Rufai disclosed that out of the $251 million spent to launch NigComSat 1, $200 million was borrowed from the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of China and the balance $51 million was paid from Nigeria through appropriation.
"The initial plan for NigComSat 1 was to use it for experimental purposes but the plan was changed because of the need to exploit the market provided by the telecommunications industry in Nigeria.
"The quest to launch and operate the satellite on commercial basis led to the failure to seek to launch another satellite as back-up," he added.
According to him, the lost satellite would be replaced by the Chinese company, based on the original contract.
"But the relaunch would not take place until late 2010 or early in 2011 when all arrangements would have been put in place to that effect."
Explanations on the insurance for NigComSat 1 were, however, not satisfactory to the Committee as it lamented the non-inclusion of the business and financial benefits to Nigeria.
Rufai confirmed that only the asset was insured.
He said three options were considered before the decision was taken to award the $500 million NigComSat 2 and 3 contract to the CGWIC.
The first, the government could fund it alone; second, a consortium of Nigerian banks could guarantee loan from China; or third, NigComSat could be fully privatised and source funds from anywhere.
Nigerian satellite fails in space
ReplyDeleteThe satellite has developed power trouble
A multi-million dollar Nigerian satellite launched in May 2007 has been shut down to prevent it spinning out of control and damaging others in orbit.
Chinese-built NigComSat-1 cost the African oil producer $340m (£228m).
The Nigerian government said insurance would pay for a replacement and Nigerians should still be proud of the country's satellite programme.
But telecoms experts told the BBC it was a "white elephant in space" and the whole operation was a "debacle".
NigComSat-1 was launched 18 months ago to much fanfare from the government, but it has been mired in controversy ever since.
On Tuesday, controllers shut the satellite down because it was having problems with its power supply, the government announced.
The satellite was meant to provide communications for government agencies and broadband internet.
'Worthy investment'
"This has been a real debacle from day one," a telecoms engineer told the BBC. Nigeria has exported its electricity generation problems to space
Joke doing the rounds in Nigeria
The engineer, who works as a consultant for a multinational communications company, did not want to be named.
The satellite was limited because the type of frequency it used was disturbed by clouds in the atmosphere, and did not work properly in Nigeria's rainy season or during the Harmattan, when clouds of dust blow down from the Sahara, he said.
The satellite also operated on frequencies already allocated to other companies and interfered with other providers' equipment.
But Information Minister John Odey denied the satellite was not worth investing in.
"No technology can be a waste of money," he said.
"It is a worthy investment, and Nigerians should see it as desirable. It has served a purpose and will continue to do so."
Power trouble
Local media initially reported that the satellite had "gone missing".
But on Wednesday Minister of State for Science and Technology Alhassan Zaku told journalists it had lost power and had to be "parked, like you would park a car".
"If it wasn't parked and it lost all its power there would be no energy to even move it and it would be like a loose cannon and would keep rolling about and hit other satellites in the orbit," he told reporters.
According to analysts, Nigeria has made nearly $2 trillion in oil revenues over the last 30 years, but its population are mostly poor.
Africa's most populous nation lacks basic infrastructure like power and water, and many Nigerians thought the satellite showed the government did not have its priorities right.
The news that the satellite could not get enough power to run has led to jokes that, as one e-mail doing the rounds put it: Nigeria has "exported its electricity generation problems to space".
House Of Reps Probes NigComSat Project
ReplyDeleteBy Sule Lazarus and Otei Oham, Abuja
Lower House legislators on Thursday mooted a probe of the NigComSat 1 project that recently failed in orbit costing Nigeria millions of Dollars.
The Science and Technology Committee, chaired by Abiodun Akinlade, has summoned the Chief Executives of major telecommunications firms, including those of MTN, Zain, Globacom, and Visafone to testify on Monday on the impact of the failure.
Besides, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Executive Vice Chairman, Ernest Ndukwe, is expected to explain, among others, how the losses of telecom operators could be mitigated.
Akinlade said the level of compliance with due process in the award of the N45 billion contract for NigComSat 1 to the China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) would be examined.
Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) Director General, Emeka Eze, will appear before the panel to state the level of compliance with due process.
Science and Technology Minister, Alhassan Zaku, will also appear, as well as his predecessors; former National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) Director General, Babatunde Boroface; and NigComSat Managing Director, Ahmed El-Rufai.
Akinlade said NigComSat 1 is shrouded in secrecy as no one knows exactly how much was spent on it.
He recalled that El-Rufai was quoted as saying that the insurers have undertaken to restore the satellite but no document has been forwarded to the House.
"The Committee will investigate the details of the loans agreement entered into by the government with the Nigerian Export Import (Nexim) Bank and its repayment schedule, the details of its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and the insurance companies that underwrote the risks as well as the real cost of the failed project," he pledged.
Debt Management Office (DMO) Director General and the federal Accountant General are scheduled to explain the utilisation of the loan sourced from China to build the satellite, and the local content of the insurance will be examined as well as the technology transfer agreement.
According to Akinlade, the Committee will equally examine the revenue generated in the 18 months the satellite functioned.
He said efforts of the House to meet with CGWIC officials when they came to Nigeria immediately after the collapse of NigComSat 1 were frustrated, which suggests that someone is trying to hide something.
We knew $251.6m NigComSat-I could fail —Ex-Minister
ReplyDeleteBy John Ameh, Abuja
Published: Tuesday, 17 Feb 2009
A former Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Turner Isoun, told the House of Representatives on Monday that the Federal Government knew that the ill-fated Nigeria Communication Satellite, NigComSat-I, could fail when it asked the National Space Research and Development Agency to embark on the expensive project.
NigComSat-I, the first commercial satellite by an African country, was inaugurated into orbit on May 13, 2007 in the twilight of the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, costing the nation $251.6m.
The spacecraft, however, failed and was de-orbited barely 18 months later in November 2008.
Isoun testified in Abuja before the House Committee on Science and Technology headed by Mr. Abiodun Akinlade.
The committee is conducting an investigative hearing into the failed project.
China provided about $200m of the project cost via a loan agreement facilitated through the China-Exim Bank at an interest rate of three per cent per annum.
The Director-General of the Debt Management Office, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, confirmed on Monday that $179.9m of the loan had been drawn down while the Federal Government had paid $9.9m in debt-serving as at December 2008.
The former minister argued that though the government then knew that space technology was a ”risky” venture all over the world, it still supported the take-off of NigComSat-I to help Nigeria to ”gain economic liberation.”
He insisted that Nigeria’s interest was ”adequately protected” when the government went into discussions on the development of the satellite with the China Great Wall Industry Corporation, the technical partners that built the spacecraft.
According to him, the government secured the commitment from China in form of the $200m loan and ensured that the firm would shoulder the insurance costs in the event of the project failing.
He said, “I believe that is why they have undertaken to build a replacement for NigComSat-I at no cost to Nigeria.
“People have asked the question that what business has a poor nation like Nigeria got to do with going into space.
“Well, the answer again, is that India, a poor nation, has also gone far in that direction; it is to guarantee economic liberation.”
The committee, however, said that there was no evidence that the Chinese firm had agreed to replace the crashed satellite as the former minister, the management of NASDRA and the management of Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited would want Nigerians to believe.
When the Chairman of the committee, Akinlade, asked the DG of NASDRA, Dr. Seidu Mohammed, whether he had seen a document proving that the Chinese firm would replace the satellite, he replied ”no.”
“There is no evidence before this committee to show that China has agreed to replace the satellite.
“We have been meeting with the Managing Director of NigComSat, he has not been able to produce any evidence on a very serious issue as this,” Akinlade stated.
But, the MD of NigComSat, Alhaji Ahmed Rufai, claimed in his submissions that a replacement agreement on the satellite existed, adding that President Umaru Yar’Adua was aware of it.
Rufai, who described the failure of the project as ”a blessing in disguise for Nigeria”, promised to forward a copy of the agreement to the committee.”
He told the lawmakers that Nigerian engineers trained in China would use the experience they acquired while working on NigComSat-I to perform better in future projects.
“The experience and the failure of the project will help us in our march for technology transfer and by the grace of God, we are coming out stronger,” he added.
Rufai disclosed that NigComSat generated only N19m from the bulk sale of transponders and another $426m before the satellite failed after spending less than two out of its 15-year projected life span.
The lawmakers cautioned against the move by NigComSat to build NigComSat-II at a time the circumstances surrounding the failure of its predecessor were still unclear.