Mr. KOZAKI Hitoshi, Deputy Head of Mission, attended the conference stage of AfriGEO: Building a Sustainable Earth Observation Ecosystem for Local Solution

On 8 October 2026, Mr. KOZAKI Hitoshi, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, attended and delivered remarks at the conference stage of AfriGEO. Reflecting Japan's strong interest in strengthening cooperation with Nigeria in the space sector, the workshop brought together a wide range of Japanese stakeholders, including JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), and Axelspace, a Japanese private-sector company specialising in microsatellite development and satellite-based Earth observation services, alongside NASRDA (National Space Research and Development Agency) and RCMRD (Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development). In particular, the participation of private-sector companies such as Axelspace highlighted the potential for broader collaboration between Japan and Nigeria at the private-sector level. In his remarks, Mr. KOZAKI emphasised the importance of co-creation, whereby Japanese and African stakeholders work together to identify local challenges and develop solutions tailored to local needs, rather than simply transferring technology.