Enabling Equitable Access to Space-Derived Benefits for African Citizens – the Case of Satellite Navigation
DATE & TIME:
April 21, 2026 12:55 pm - 1:35 pm
LOCATION:
Satellite navigation has quietly become infrastructure as essential as electricity or internet connectivity. Yet for most Africans, this critical space-derived capability remains either inaccessible, unaffordable, or unavailable at the precision levels that unlock transformative economic value.
This session examines how Africa can transform satellite navigation from a technical capability to a public-value enabler for citizens, economic, and institutional benefit, moving from industry-specific applications to equitable access that improves the quality of life of Africans across the socioeconomic classes. Panellists will explore how GNSS-enabled services are currently embedded in critical sectors, where access gaps persist due to policy, regulatory, skills, or infrastructure constraints, service delivery models, connectivity requirements, and technical literacy, and what is required to ensure that satellite navigation supports inclusive growth rather than reinforcing digital and geographic inequalities.
speakers
