Nigeria launches security, disaster satellites

Nigeria has launched two satellites into orbit with the aim of using them for a range of tasks, including disaster monitoring and security, a government statement said. The satellites -- NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X -- were launched on Wednesday from the rocket launch base in Yasny, Russia, the statement said. According to the government, the two satellites can be used for forestry, mapping, disaster monitoring, military applications and security, among other functions. "I congratulate our nation for this new chapter in our transformational efforts as we strive for self-reliance," President Goodluck Jonathan said. "Let me congratulate the resourceful Nigerians who made this history possible." According to Jonathan, NigeriaSat-X was designed and built by Nigerian engineers and scientists, while NigeriaSat-2 was built in collaboration with Surrey Satellite Technology Limited in Britain. "Data from the satellites will help enhance food security in Nigeria through mapping of farmlands, providing advice to farmers on drought, when and how to plant their crops, soil quality and (to) monitor their crops to ensure they have high yields," Frank Chizea, project manager for the launched satellites, told AFP. The satellites' data will assist in monitoring internal and across-the-border security of the country, he said. "We can use data collected from the satellites to monitor the activities and movements of criminals, smugglers, militants, oil bunkerers (thieves), movement of goods, arms and equipment within and across our borders," he said. Information from the satellites is useful to prevent coastal erosion, desertification and floods, as well as to help in monitoring the delivery of relief materials. A much-hyped Nigerian satellite launch in 2007 led to disappointment when it later failed. The $257 million Chinese-built satellite was to provide phone, Internet and broadcast services. Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation and largest oil producer, but has been hit by a range of security challenges, including an Islamist insurgency that has left scores dead in the country's northeast.