The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have partnered to combat illegal mining and other crimes using geospatial intelligence.
The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday in Abuja to strengthen national security and enforce accountability across sectors of the economy.
Dr Matthew Adepoju, Director-General of NASRDA, said the partnership would strengthen the implementation of national space regulations, improve spectrum management and enhance oversight of activities within Nigeria’s rapidly expanding space ecosystem.
“This is a milestone for justice and accountability and this agreement will ensure that both local and international organisations operating within Nigeria’s space sector fully comply with existing laws and regulatory frameworks.
“We cannot ignore that illegal mining is a major contributor to insecurity in the country, and NASRDA remains committed to regulating operators across the upstream, midstream, and downstream segments of the space sector to ensure full legal compliance,” Adepoju said.
According to him, the EFCC is the ideal partner for this mission, given the commission’s strong leadership, sound institutional management, and proven track record under its current Chairman,Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede.
Adepoju, however, said NASRDA would deploy advanced space and geospatial technologies to support the commission in carrying out its mandate more efficiently and in line with international best practices.
According to him, the implementation of the MoU will commence immediately.
Also, Olukoyede described the MoU as a clear demonstration of inter-agency cooperation and how such collaboration could strengthen institutional capacity and ensure the government delivered on its mandates.
He explained that a functional partnership between both parties would serve as a model for other ministries, departments and agencies to embrace cooperation as a pathway to stronger governance and national advancement.
He mentioned that NASRDA would supply advanced technologies to strengthen the EFCC’s investigative and asset-tracking capabilities, while they would apply its expertise to maximise the agency’s fraud-risk intelligence.
