The decision was part of the outcome of a working visit by the Director-General of NASRDA, Dr Matthew Adepoju, to FUTA on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. Dr Adepoju and his delegation were received by the university’s management, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji.
Speaking during the visit, Dr Adepoju described FUTA as a natural choice for the collaboration, citing the professionalism and track record of the university’s Centre for Space Research and Applications (CESRA), which he described as a trailblazer in the field of space science and technology in Nigeria. He paid tribute to Professor Joseph Akinyede, a former Director of CESRA and a leading expert in the field, crediting him with significant contributions to the development of space science in the country. According to him, Professor Akinyede also served with distinction as the pioneer Director of Strategic Space Applications at NASRDA.
The NASRDA Director-General noted that FUTA graduates who have undertaken internships at the agency consistently demonstrate high levels of competence and depth, reflecting the quality of training at the university. He made special reference to FUTA alumnus Temidayo Oniosun, who in 2025 collaborated with the United States space agency on a project that took egusi seeds into space, adding that Oniosun had previously interned under him at NASRDA.
Dr Adepoju explained that the proposed Institute of Aerospace Development would serve as a platform for merging academic knowledge with practical industry experience, thereby enhancing training, innovation and overall advancement in the aerospace sector. He stressed that aligning academic programmes with industry needs remains critical to excellence and sustainable development in aerospace science and engineering.
In her response, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji, said NASRDA could not have chosen a better partner for the initiative, noting that FUTA possesses the expertise, rich faculty and research capacity required to drive the institute and achieve its objectives. She described FUTA as a university that prides itself on excellence in research, innovation and output, adding that the institution would be glad to collaborate with NASRDA on the initiative.
Professor Oladiji recalled that on Friday, July 7, 2017, FUTA successfully launched Nigeria’s first university-owned satellite, NigeriaEdusat-1, into orbit through a collaboration involving CESRA, NASRDA and the Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan. The satellite, which lifted off from Florida on June 3, 2017, was part of the BIRDS-1 Project that began in October 2015. She explained that NigeriaEdusat-1 was designed, built and owned by FUTA in collaboration with NASRDA and Kyushu Institute of Technology, with Mr Ibukun Adebolu of FUTA’s Department of Mechanical Engineering representing Nigeria on the project.
The Vice-Chancellor also recalled another landmark achievement on Friday, August 1, 2025, when a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, carrying egusi seeds from Oyo State, Nigeria, to the International Space Station. The project, she said, was facilitated by FUTA alumnus Temidayo Oniosun, a leading space expert in Africa and former president of the FUTA Space Club. Professor Oladiji disclosed that the university remains in constant contact with Oniosun and expressed confidence that he would continue to add value to FUTA’s aerospace initiatives, including the proposed collaboration with NASRDA.
