A Giant Leap for the Continent: Africa Space Agency Inauguration
Aryana Ris-Luamháin | 28 May 2025
Summary
The Africa Space Agency (AfSA) has officially launched in Cairo, signalling Africa’s growing determination to claim its place in the global space economy.
AfSA faces funding challenges, compounded by the urgent necessity to build autonomous space capabilities amidst worsening climate vulnerabilities and declining international support.
It is likely AfSA will help to close the deep digital and scientific gaps that have long separated Africa from the rest of the world.
On 20 April 2025, Africa officially inaugurated its first continental space agency, the Africa Space Agency (AfSA), bringing together all 55 members of the African Union (AU). AfSA’s mission is ambitious but grounded: to coordinate national space efforts, improve climate data and enhance satellite connectivity across the continent.
Africa has long been pushing for space innovation. Currently, there are 22 national space agencies running throughout the continent and 18 countries have launched satellites since Egypt’s Nilesat-101 first entered orbit in 1998. However, most of these satellites were launched from foreign rockets and foreign soil, and many are no longer operational. AfSA offers African countries the ability to act collectively and benefit from economies of scale, placing all AU members on a level playing field in terms of access to data.
This new agency has already begun forming international partnerships. A major agreement was recently signed with the European Space Agency (ESA), establishing the EU–Africa Space Partnership programme, a framework for collaborative Earth observation programs, joint training schemes and technical support. In comparison to the ESA’s long-standing collaboration with NASA which spans decades and includes high-profile joint missions such as the International Space Station and the Artemis lunar programme, the EU-Africa initiative is significantly more development-orientated, focusing on developing institutional capacity to address challenges on the continent. Through the programme, AfSA will engage with key partners such as The ESA, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMF) on projects ranging from climate observation to natural resource management. The partnership is backed by an investment of GBP 84 million (USD 110 million) under the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy.
There are, naturally, challenges ahead. Africa currently contributes just 0.5% of global space spending and only South Africa has ranked among the top 30 countries in terms of investment or satellite research and development. Funding remains a perennial issue and much of AfSA’s progress will depend on whether African governments are willing - and able - to commit sustained resources to it. The agency will be funded by the AU on a project-by-project basis, which may make strategic planning more complex.
The importance of coordination across Africa, however, is becoming increasingly apparent. Africa is disproportionately impacted by climate change, yet the majority of African countries still rely on external sources of data to monitor weather systems, meaning they often receive late or partial information, rendering it significantly harder to prepare for and respond to extreme weather events. There is also a growing sense that Africa cannot rely on foreign aid or goodwill to fill these gaps. Earlier this year, the United States terminated SERVIR - a joint program with NASA and USAID that had helped developing nations use satellite data to manage food security and natural disasters. Meanwhile, in a bid to surpass the US space presence in Africa, China has pledged USD 50b in loans and investment for satellites and space exploration and now has 23 bilateral space cooperation agreements in place across the continent. However, while such engagement provides resources, it also raises concerns about long-term dependency, data sovereignty and control over sensitive information. Collectively, these dynamics highlight the importance of Africa developing its own space capabilities driven by continental priorities.
SpaceX/Unsplash
Forecast
Short-term (Now - 3 months)
AfSA will likely initially focus on establishing core operations and building international partnerships, particularly with the European Space Agency. Early warning systems for floods, droughts and storms are expected to be among the first tangible benefits for communities.
Medium-term (3-12 months)
Universities across the continent are highly likely to launch training programs in satellite engineering, data science and geospatial analysis. Local employment in space-related sectors will likely grow as more projects are implemented.
Long-term (>1 year)
With sustained investment and political backing, AfSA has a realistic possibility of facilitating the establishment of a functional and self-sustaining African space sector. African countries will likely gain greater independence in managing their own data and technologies, reducing reliance on external providers.
