On July 6, 2007, prime contractor China Great Wall Industry Corp. (CGWIC) delivered the NigcomSat-1 Satellite to NigcomSat Ltd. in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
Nigerian President Umaru YarAdua was unable to attend the delivery ceremony, but the State Secretary of the Nigerian Federal Government, Mr. Abba Gana, addressed the ceremony on the President’s behalf. In his message, the President extended his appreciation to the Chinese government and people for manufacturing this Nigerian communications satellite, expressed his gladness in accepting the first Pan-African communications satellite delivered by a Chinese company, and his belief that the satellite will benefit people across Nigeria and Africa by playing a key role in the future development of information and communications technology. On behalf of the President, Mr. Gana then declared the formal start of NigcomSat-1 commercial services.
NigcomSat-1, which was launched on May 14 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, was successfully positioned at a longitude of 42°E after five orbit maneuvers at 08:22 on May 22, 2007 Beijing time. After completing in-orbit tests, CGWIC officially handed over the satellite to the customer. NigcomSat-1 was manufactured by the China Academy of Space Technology, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
Officials from the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria attending the ceremony commented that NigcomSat-1 is the first program in which CGWIC has provided commercial satellite services to an international client as part of a whole package including the launch vehicle, satellite and ground support system. With the success of the NigcomSat-1 program, CGWC has successfully positioned itself as a primary contractor capable of providing all-in-one in-orbit delivery services comprising launch services, satellite and ground systems, instead of limiting itself to providing launch services as in the past.
The delivery of NigcomSat-1 indicates the successful conclusion of the Chinese aerospace industry’s first turnkey program, as part of which CGWIC will officially launch its 15-year in-orbit satellite operation and ground support services.