Scientists and policymakers gathered at Ghana’s maiden National Space Conference have called on the government to back its space ambitions with actual money and institutional commitments, moving beyond policy documents into tangible investments. The message was clear: approving strategies doesn’t build satellites or train engineers.
The three day conference, held from October 6 to 8, 2025 at the University of Ghana, brought together researchers, innovators, and development partners under the theme “Harnessing Space Technology for Sustainable Development and Inclusive Growth.” It represented Ghana’s most significant gathering yet focused specifically on how space tools can accelerate progress in agriculture, environmental monitoring, and economic transformation.
Kwaku Sumah, Managing Director of Spacehubs Africa, opened the event by questioning why Ghana continues paying other countries to observe its farms and weather patterns when it could develop its own capabilities. He emphasized that once funding materializes and a functioning space agency exists, coordination, capacity building, and innovation will follow naturally. The implication was stark: without money and institutional structure, all the policy talk remains just that.
Sumah pointed to Nigeria and other African countries that have committed millions of dollars to their space programs, contrasting that with Ghana’s pattern of enthusiastic policy pronouncements followed by limited financial backing. His call for the government to expedite establishment of a national space agency to coordinate research, innovation, and training in satellite data, navigation, and remote sensing reflected frustration that institutional structures remain incomplete years after initial discussions began.
In a keynote address delivered on behalf of Professor Mark Sandow Yidana, Dean of the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, the conference was described as a turning point in Ghana’s journey toward building a knowledge based space economy. But turning points only matter if they actually lead somewhere different than the path previously traveled.
Yidana noted that Ghana already possesses a strong foundation in space science, citing All Nations University’s 2017 launch of GhanaSat 1 and the conversion of a 32 metre satellite dish at Kuntunse into a radio telescope that’s now part of the global Square Kilometre Array network. Those achievements demonstrate technical capability exists. What’s missing is systematic investment to build on that foundation.
The professor explained that space technology offers vital tools for addressing real challenges including climate change, food insecurity, and natural disasters. He urged stronger collaboration between research institutions, government, and the private sector, recognizing that fragmented efforts won’t generate the momentum needed for meaningful progress.
Dr. Joseph Bremang Tandoh, Director of the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute, highlighted the growing relevance of satellite applications in national planning and resource management. He argued that space based tools like GPS, weather forecasting, and remote sensing are no longer luxuries but essential infrastructure for agriculture, mining, and urban development.
Tandoh noted that with deliberate investment, Ghana can build jobs, develop industries, and contribute meaningfully to Africa’s space economy, which some projections estimate could reach $23 billion by 2026. He declared Ghana ready to launch, ready to contribute, and ready to shape its own destiny through education, research, and international partnerships. The question is whether the government shares that readiness to commit resources.
Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Armah Kofi Buah, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to developing the country’s space industry in a statement. He revealed that Cabinet has approved three key policies: the National Space Policy (approved in March 2022 and formally launched in November 2024), the establishment of the Ghana Space Agency, and a Space Industry Development Strategy.
The minister described these as providing an unshakable foundation for Ghana’s space ambitions, emphasizing that the country’s space program isn’t just about astronauts and satellites but about using science to solve everyday problems and improve livelihoods. That framing resonates well, but participants at the conference seemed less interested in rhetorical commitments than in seeing budget allocations and agency staffing actually happen.
Professor Alice Browne Klutse, Chief Executive of the Environmental Protection Agency, showcased how her agency already applies space technologies in monitoring illegal mining, detecting pollution, tracking flood prone areas, and observing coastal erosion in real time. She explained that satellite systems enable identifying new mining pits and tracking deforestation without physically entering forests, making space science integral to protecting the environment while ensuring economic growth remains sustainable.
The EPA’s practical use cases demonstrate that demand for space based services exists within government agencies right now. They’re already purchasing satellite imagery and analysis from international providers. The economic argument for developing domestic capabilities becomes straightforward: why send that money overseas when it could fund local capacity development and job creation?
Ghana’s space journey reflects a pattern common across African countries: strong technical talent, genuine applications that could benefit from space technology, policy frameworks that look impressive on paper, but insufficient financial commitment to translate potential into operational capability. Breaking that pattern requires moving from aspiration to appropriation, literally putting line items in the budget.
The 2017 GhanaSat 1 launch generated enormous excitement and demonstrated that Ghanaian engineers could design and build a functional satellite. But that was eight years ago. What’s happened since in terms of building on that achievement? Without consistent funding for research, training, and infrastructure, individual successes remain isolated rather than building toward systematic capability.
The conversion of the Kuntunse facility into a radio telescope connected to the Square Kilometre Array network similarly shows Ghana can participate in cutting edge international scientific collaborations. But leveraging that participation requires investing in the researchers, technicians, and infrastructure needed to maximize what the facility can contribute to both global science and local applications.
Space technology applications in agriculture particularly resonate in Ghana’s context. Satellite imagery can identify crop diseases early, optimize irrigation, predict yields, and help farmers access credit by providing objective data about their operations. Remote sensing tracks weather patterns more accurately than ground based stations alone. GPS enables precision agriculture techniques that improve productivity while reducing input costs. These aren’t theoretical benefits; they’re operational capabilities that farmers in other countries already use.
The same applies to natural resource management. Ghana struggles with illegal mining that devastates waterways and forests. Satellite monitoring can identify new mining sites almost immediately, enabling faster enforcement responses. Tracking deforestation helps the country meet its climate commitments and protect biodiversity. Monitoring coastal erosion informs adaptation strategies as sea levels rise. The EPA’s existing use of these tools proves they work; the question is whether Ghana will develop domestic capacity or remain dependent on purchasing services from abroad.
The conference ended with renewed calls for long term investment in STEM education, research, and regional partnerships to position Ghana as a hub for Africa’s growing space ecosystem. That vision makes strategic sense. Ghana has universities producing skilled graduates, a relatively stable political environment, and geographic advantages. Becoming a regional space hub could attract investment and talent from across West Africa.
But making that vision real requires the government to move beyond approving policies and making encouraging statements. It means allocating serious money in successive budgets, hiring staff for the space agency, investing in ground stations and research facilities, funding scholarships for students studying space related fields, and creating incentives for private sector involvement.
Other African nations are moving forward. Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Algeria, and Kenya all operate satellites and have established space agencies with real budgets and staff. Rwanda recently launched its own satellite and is positioning itself as a regional hub. Ghana risks falling further behind if it doesn’t translate its policy frameworks into actual programs with funding attached.
The space sector offers genuine economic opportunities beyond just prestige. Satellite manufacturing, data analysis services, ground station operations, and related technical services create skilled jobs and export potential. As global demand for Earth observation data grows, particularly for climate monitoring and agricultural applications, countries with domestic capabilities can capture value rather than just consuming services purchased from abroad.
Ghana’s maiden National Space Conference succeeded in bringing together the right stakeholders and articulating a compelling vision. The technical expertise exists, the applications are identified, the policy frameworks are approved. What happens next will reveal whether Ghana’s space ambitions represent serious intent backed by resources, or simply another set of aspirational documents gathering dust while other countries move ahead.
