About Us

The African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in English (ARCSSTE-E) was inaugurated in Nigeria on 24th November, 1998 and affiliated to the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA). A number of other national and regional institutions with research and training interests in space science and technology are also affiliated to it. Following resolution 45/72 of 1990 and 50/27 of 1995, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the recommendation of UNISPACE 82, that the United Nations Programme on Space Applications should assist member states in enhancing their indigenous capacity in the utilization of SST for national/regional development. The UN office of Outer Space Affairs (UN-OOSA) was mandated to establish Centres for Space Science and Technology Education in developing countries on a regional basis. Nigeria and Morocco were chosen to host the Centres for Space Science and Technology Education for the benefit of Anglophone and Francophone Afreican countries respectively. The host institution for the Centre in Nigeria is Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.  For the effective take-off of the activities of the Centre, Prof. Wale Omole, the then Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University nominated Prof. E. E. Balogun of the Department of Physics to work with other members of the Technical Advisory Committee to put things in place. To fulfill the hosting guidelines, the ground floor of the new Faculty of Science extension was approved temporarily for the centre. The building was furnished by National Agency for Science Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

The signing of the draft agreement for the Centre in Nigeria was done on the 22nd of November, 1998 in Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, after which, the commissioning of the Centre’s facilities was done on the 24th of November, 1998. Prof. E. E. Balogun was the pioneer Director and the Chief Executive of the Centre.

After considering the fact that the University was expected to offer a suitable permanent site for the Centre, an area off the Road 1 within Science and Technology Park was approved for development. The Centre now runs majority of its programmes/ activities from its permanent site. Co-located in the same area are Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS), Centre for Energy Research and Development (CERD) and National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM). The Centre is supervised by National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

VISION

Human Resources Development  & Public Awareness in the African Region of the benefits and Applications of Space  Science & Tech. for the sustainable development of the region and improvement on the quality of life of the people, through rigorous education/ training and outreach programmes, thereby empowering and informing the people on Space for Development.

MISSION

To build a high quality capacity and critical mass of indigenous Space Scientists/ Educators in English speaking African countries for the development and application of Space Science & Technology for Sustainable National & Regional Development.

MANDATE

To develop skills and knowledge  in 5 prime areas: Remote Sensing/ GIS; Satellite Meteorology & Global Climate; Satellite Communication; Basic Space & Atmospheric Science and Global Navigation Satellite System.