Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, visited the Management and facilities of the Defence Space Administration in Abuja to get to know them better. He called for continued cooperation to make Nigeria’s defense system stronger.
Queenet Iheoma-Hart, the Chief Information Officer of the Ministry of Defence, said that the visit happened on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Queenet Iheoma-Hart said that the Permanent Secretary’s team and the main Staff Officers of the Administration were given a tour of the DSA’s facilities, such as the Cyber Center, the Geospatial Intelligence, Fusion and Data Center, and the Laboratory.
Mr. Richard Pheelangwah said that the Defence Space Administration is a very professional and technology-driven field that is very important in modern warfare. This is because it can use and analyze images, satellite data, and geospatial information, which are all needed to describe and assess physical features and activities on Earth that are linked to geography.
He said that the Administration on the Nigerian Armed Forces plays a key role in keeping the country’s defense system up to date and protecting its sovereignty. He also said that the achievements of this Administration have made it competitive both in Nigeria and around the world. He then asked for continued cooperation with the Ministry and other related agencies to build on these successes.
The Permanent Secretary promised that the Ministry would keep helping the Administration deal with some of its problems, especially with some of its long-term projects. He also stressed the need for better cooperation between the military and civilians, more targeted training, careful money management, and compliance with financial regulations. He also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his leadership and the Honourable Ministers of Defence for their advice and support in running the Ministry.
Major General Phillip Ilodibia, the Chief of Defence Space Administration, thanked the Ministry for its support of the Administration throughout the years earlier in his speech. He talked about various problems, like how police don’t have enough pleasant and adequate housing, how there isn’t enough money, and how the administration isn’t involved in giving advice on some government activities. He did, however, suggest to the Ministry’s authorities that DSA should be in charge of space-related national security matters and that other groups in the space ecosystem should focus on issues that are not military or security-related.
Queenet Iheoma-Hart went on to say that Mr. Richard Pheelangwah’s visit was part of an ongoing effort to improve institutional functioning and provide administrative oversight. Queenet Iheoma-Hart also said that the Permanent Secretary had promised the Ministry’s help with several of the Administration’s long-term projects.
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