For Prof Amare Abebe, director of the Centre for Space Research at North-West University, Africa’s space future is not only about satellites. It is about using knowledge, skills and collaboration to improve lives, strengthen resilience and unlock new economic opportunities.
Across Africa, some of the continent’s most urgent challenges are playing out on the ground: food insecurity, drought, flooding, climate risk, uneven connectivity and the need for sustainable economic growth. Yet, according to North-West University (NWU) space scientist Prof Amare Abebe, part of the solution lies far above the Earth.
Prof Abebe, director of the NWU’s Centre for Space Research and president of the African Astronomical Society, says space-based technologies are already offering practical tools that can support decision-making in agriculture, disaster management, climate adaptation and digital access. The real opportunity, he argues, is for African countries to build the capacity to turn satellite data into decisions that make a visible difference in people’s lives.
His perspective comes at a time when African countries are investing more deliberately in space science and strengthening collaboration between governments, researchers and industry. This momentum was reflected at the second African Space Solutions Market, held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 7 to 9 July 2026, where African stakeholders explored how space technologies can support economic development, food security, disaster management and climate resilience.
For Prof Abebe, the purpose of space science is clear: it must serve society. Earth observation satellites can provide continent-wide information on rainfall, soil moisture, vegetation health and crop conditions. This data can help governments, communities and farmers prepare for drought, plan agricultural seasons more effectively and respond faster to environmental risks.
The same technologies can assist with flood mapping, wildfire monitoring and disaster response. Satellite communications can also help extend education, financial services and digital connectivity to areas where conventional infrastructure remains limited.
This is where the story becomes deeply aligned with NWU’s brand promise. NWU’s contribution is not only in participating in advanced research, but in developing the people and partnerships needed to make that research useful. At the Centre for Space Research, postgraduate students are trained in space physics and astrophysics and contribute to research connected to national and international facilities, including the South African National Space Agency and the Square Kilometre Array.
The impact reaches beyond science laboratories. Prof Abebe points to the downstream space sector, where applications built on space data can create opportunities for young people with skills in programming, data analysis, mathematics, physics, computer science and engineering. In this space, innovation does not always require building a satellite. It can begin with a laptop, strong training and the ability to solve real problems through data.
Therefore, it can be argued that purpose creates impact when knowledge is translated into action. For Africa, space technology can become a practical engine for locally relevant solutions, high-value jobs and stronger institutions. For NWU, it demonstrates how academic excellence can connect with continental priorities and help shape a more resilient future.
Prof Abebe also emphasises that success will depend on collaboration. Applications must be developed with the people who use them, including farmers, municipalities and disaster management agencies. Continental coordination, shared infrastructure and sustained investment will be essential if African countries are to design, build and use technologies that respond directly to African challenges.
This is the NWU story at its strongest: research with purpose, expertise with reach and knowledge that moves from discovery to development. In showing how space science can support food security, climate resilience, connectivity and economic growth, NWU reinforces a simple but powerful truth.