IAI will build the NigComSat-2A satellite, which is expected to launch in 2028. Nigeria is buying the new satellites to expand internet access, improve communications and support businesses and other important services across the country.
Nigeria’s government has already approved the plan. The second satellite, expected to launch in 2029, will be supplied by European company Thales. Nigeria has not said exactly how much it will pay each company, but the two deals together are estimated at around $2 billion.
The deal is a major win for Israel’s space industry. IAI has built Israel’s Amos communications satellites and recently launched Dror 1. The company is also reportedly talking with Azerbaijan about another satellite deal that could be worth close to $1 billion.
The Nigeria deal also gives IAI a much bigger position in Africa, where Israeli companies currently receive only a small share of Israel’s record defense and technology exports.