The Nigerian Communications Satellite-1 Replacement (NigComSat-1R) will be launched on December 19, according to TelecomPaper. Nigerian Communications Satellite MD Timasaniyu Ahmed-Rufai said it will be sent into orbit from China. He said the new device is a super-hybrid geostationary satellite for communications and would also serve in telemedicine, e-learning and aircraft communications. Ahmed-Rufia said the de-orbiting of the original NigComSat-1 was disappointing but it paved the way for growth and improvement. He called on the broadcast industry to take advantage of the opportunity to meet what he called the challenges of global migration in the industry.

NigComSat-1R has a life span of 15 years. Rufai said the role of NigComSat-1R is to foster the growth of the broadcasting industry as it will allow broadcasting to concentrate on the provision of quality content in order to realise maximum revenue. He said the satellite would also act as an open door to attract foreign direct investments into the country. He said the new satellite will function beyond communications, providing navigational services for the aviation and maritime industries as well. The NigComSat-1R has payloads of seven antennae and 28 transponders, to address redundancy, and it operates under four different bands: C-, Ku-, KA- and the L-bands. Minister of Communications Technology Omobola Johnson said the new satellite would add value and improve the fast-growing ICT landscape in Nigeria, especially in the area of broadband internet connectivity. She added that NigComSat-1R would domesticate broadband services by curtailing capital flight of about US$500 million yearly.