There Is No Single Space Law In Nigeria, Agbakoba Cries Out
A former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) yesterday raised the alarm over the lack of space law in Nigeria.
“There is no single space law in Nigeria,” he said, adding that the country loses out on revenue opportunities as a result.
He spoke at a briefing before the inaugural meeting of the Space Law and Arbitration Association of Nigeria (SLAA).
SLAA, an initiative of Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL), is an association of lawyers with a common interest in space law and related fields.
Dr Agbakoba said a space law would provide the framework to harness the revenue sources in space.
The SAN said SLAA intends to work closely with the National Assembly, policymakers, and, in particular, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) to help strengthen the legal, institutional and regulatory framework that governs space in Nigeria.
“This includes reviewing and analysing the current space policy and creating a new policy that covers more aspects of space activities, (e.g. military policy, public policy, commercial policy); harmonising national laws with principles in international law and ensuring all areas/aspects of space activities are covered by domestic legislation.
“It is also worth noting that a space policy should be part of Nigeria’s new National Development Plan 2021-2025. As Nigeria diversifies away from oil, Space has the potential to be a massive revenue earner,” he said.
He said everyone, especially lawyers, is welcome to join the association by sending a mail to info@spacelawarbitration.org or going to the SLAA website https://spacelawarbitration.org/
Dr. Agbakoba, Dr. Samson Osagie, Dr. Khafayat Olatinwo, Dr. Lawal Adam, Mr. Collins Okeke, Ms. Anne Agi, and Mr. Odey John were adopted as members of the Advisory Board of the Association.
A book Space Law 101 For Beginners. A Brief Introduction to Space Law, by Ms. Anne Agi, Head of Space Law Practice, Olisa Agbakoba Legal, was presented at the meeting.
The book discusses space laws, space law sources, the latest developments, and challenges affecting international space law, the most prominent of which is the commercialisation of space law by the private sector.
“The involvement of private actors in space has raised many new legal issues including questions about liability and intellectual property rights.
“The book demonstrates that the current outer space treaties are largely obsolete and incapable of dealing with legal issues arising from the commercial use of space,” the author said.
Dr Agbakoba said the objectives of the association are to promote the area of space law as well as its interplay with arbitration in Nigeria and engage in driving space policy discussions for the development of space law and policy in Nigeria.
He said it also aims to encourage the development of literature on space law and policy in Nigeria through the promotion of legal and academic writing and contribute to ongoing conversations at the national and international level on issues concerning space law and policy development regarding government-related and private or commercial space exploration efforts and international cooperation in outer space activities.
