Chinese Government provide scholarships and training to space engineers from Nigeria

In June 2013 Nigeria's Minister of Science and Technology Ita Ewa announced at a press conference in Abuja that the government would prepare astronauts for space travel likely by 2015. In cooperation with the Chinese government Nigeria would build a spacecraft.

A 20 kilometer launch site has already been established in Epe, Lagos State and 12 engineers from the National Space Research and Development Agency are currently training in China. Loan applications and disbursements are still being received and processed as the projects continue to evolve. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation are in place to ensure project continuity.