Nigeria has signed a contract with Thales Alenia Space to develop NigComSat-2A, a new geostationary communications satellite designed to expand broadband and other digital services across Africa.
Thales Alenia Space announced the agreement on September 14, 2026, saying the company had signed the contract with Nigeria’s government-owned satellite operator, NIGCOMSAT Ltd. The satellite will provide communications services including television broadcasting, internet access, voice calls and streaming.
The agreement moves the NigComSat-2A project from planning and approval into the satellite-development phase.
What NigComSat-2A will do
NigComSat-2A is being designed to operate from geostationary orbit and provide coverage extending from West and Central Africa to Southern Africa.
According to Thales Alenia Space, the satellite will have a launch mass of nearly four tonnes and an expected operational life of more than 15 years. It will be built on the company’s Spacebus B2 platform.
Its intended services include:
- Broadband internet access
- Television broadcasting
- Voice communications
- Streaming and other digital applications
- Connectivity for remote and underserved communities
- Communications services for households, businesses and public institutions
The manufacturer said the satellite is intended to provide connectivity in areas where terrestrial communications infrastructure is limited or difficult to deploy.
Contract follows Nigeria’s approval of two new satellites
The new contract is part of a wider Nigerian satellite programme involving NigComSat-2A and NigComSat-2B.
In August, Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council approved the acquisition and deployment of the two next-generation high-throughput communications satellites. NIGCOMSAT said at the time that the programme was intended to increase national satellite capacity, expand broadband connectivity and reduce reliance on foreign satellite infrastructure.
NIGCOMSAT had already begun preparations for the replacement programme before the latest contract. Its published asset-upgrade plan identifies the acquisition of NigComSat-2A and 2B and gives a target launch window of 2027/2028.
The wider programme also includes work on orbital and spectrum requirements. NIGCOMSAT has filed notifications with the International Telecommunication Union relating to orbital positions at 9.5°W and 16°W, according to information published about the programme.
Why the satellite matters to Nigeria’s connectivity plans
Satellite connectivity can be particularly useful in locations where laying fibre or building extensive terrestrial networks is difficult or expensive.
NIGCOMSAT has linked its satellite expansion to broader efforts to improve broadband availability in underserved parts of Nigeria. One of those initiatives, Project 774, is aimed at extending reliable internet connectivity to the secretariats of all 774 local government councils.
The agency has also previously said that the new satellites could support security operations by improving communications and surveillance capabilities.
In an August interview, NIGCOMSAT Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Nkechi Jane Egerton-Idehen said satellite technology could help security agencies address communication difficulties in remote operational areas. She specifically cited situations where troops operating in places such as Sambisa Forest can have difficulty maintaining communications with command centres.
That security application is separate from the commercial and civilian connectivity services announced for NigComSat-2A, although the satellite infrastructure could support several categories of users.
A replacement for an ageing satellite
NIGCOMSAT currently operates NigComSat-1R, which was launched in December 2011. The company was established in 2006 under the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and provides services including broadband connectivity, satellite broadcasting and transponder leasing.
The development of the new satellites therefore forms part of a longer-term effort to maintain and expand Nigeria’s satellite communications capacity.
NIGCOMSAT’s own planning documents identified the replacement of NigComSat-1R as a major asset-upgrade objective, with the new satellites targeted for launch in 2027/2028.
What the new satellite will cover
Thales Alenia Space says NigComSat-2A will cover a large part of Africa, from West and Central Africa through to Southern Africa.
The company describes the satellite as a platform intended to provide greater flexibility and resilience for communications infrastructure while meeting increasing demand for connectivity in areas without adequate terrestrial networks.
Space in Africa reports that the satellite will use a multi-band payload covering C-band, Ku-band, Ka-band and L-band, supporting services ranging from broadcasting to broadband and other digital communications.
What NIGCOMSAT says about the project
Egerton-Idehen described the signing as a significant step in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure programme.
She said NigComSat-2A would strengthen Nigeria’s satellite communications capacity while expanding access to broadband and digital services, particularly in underserved and remote communities.
Thales Alenia Space President and CEO Hervé Derrey said the satellite would enable NIGCOMSAT to provide communications services as demand for connectivity and digital content grows.
The two statements describe the expected benefits of the project. The actual effect on broadband availability, prices and access will depend on the satellite’s eventual launch, deployment, commercial operation and the networks and services built around it.
What happens next?
The immediate task is the development and manufacture of NigComSat-2A, followed by launch and deployment.
NIGCOMSAT’s existing project planning targets 2027/2028 for the launch of the new satellite programme.
The latest contract announcement does not disclose the financial value of the NigComSat-2A contract. Space in Africa also reported that financial details were not disclosed.
For Nigeria, the significance of the project will ultimately depend not only on getting the satellite into orbit but also on how effectively its capacity is translated into affordable, reliable services for people, businesses and public institutions across areas that remain difficult to reach through terrestrial infrastructure.
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