Nigeria's Satellites: NigComSat-1 (2007) & NigComSat-1R (2011)—No "Comsat-1"

There is no satellite named "Nigerian Comsat-1." Nigeria's communication satellites are:

1. NigComSat-1

• Launched: 13 May 2007 (China, Long March 3B, Xichang)
• Built by: China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) — DFH-4 bus.
• Payload: 4 C-band, 14 Ku-band, 8 Ka-band, 2 L-band transponders.
• Coverage: Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia.
• Failure: Solar array anomaly → power loss → decommissioned 11 Nov 2008.

2. NigComSat-1R (Replacement)

• Launched: 19 Dec 2011 (China, Long March 3B)
• Same spec as NigComSat-1 (in-orbit spare built simultaneously).
• Operational: Positioned at 42.5°E; provides broadband, broadcasting, government, VSAT, telemedicine, e-learning across Africa.
• Operator: Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NigComSat), under Federal Ministry of Communications.

Other Nigerian Satellites

• NigeriaSat-1 (2003) — UK-built (SSTL), disaster monitoring constellation (DMC).
• NigeriaSat-2 (2011) — High-res (2.5m pan, 5m multi) Earth observation.
• NigeriaSat-X (2011) — Co-built by Nigerian engineers (training).
• NigeriaEduSat-1 (2017) — 1U CubeSat, university consortium (Birds-1 project).

NigComSat-1R is the current operational comsat. The program aims for NigComSat-2 (next-gen, high-throughput) launch ~2025.