On December 20, 2011, Nigeria Communication Satellite-1R was successfully launched in China. The launch was conducted according to the Nigcomsat-1R contract signed by the Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) and China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC), a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CAST). The Nigconsat-1R is the replacement of the Nigeria Communication Satellite 1 (Nigcomsat-1) that failed in the orbit

Nigcomsat-1R spacecraft is built on Dong Fang Hong 4(DFH-4) satellite bus developed CAST and launched by Lm-3B. Nigcomsat-1R is expected to improve the relevant national infrastructure and benefit people with its coverage.

This satellite will enhance our nation’s communication system and increase internet bandwidth throughout the federation while substantially reducing the over One Billion dollars cost incurred from the usage of foreign owned satellites for e-commerce activities of both government and private sector users. This is a fulfillment of the goals contained in our nation’s 25 year National Space Development Roadmap. There cannot be transformation  without technology and the technological benefits from this satellite will flow to all Nigerians whether rural or urban dweller and would also provide cheaper access to the internet with a view to bridging the existing digital divide between our urban and predominantly rural communities and thereby bringing government  to the grassroots.

Nigcomsat R-1 will play significant roles in the actualization of the cashless society thus opening up Nigeria business and enterprises to markets that are not limited by space or time,  It will enhance the rural telephony project of the  Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) and e-voting project of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The launch of the satellite would also lead the agency to realize its overall mandate of actualizing vision 20-2020. It would also tremendously raise the revenue profile of the country especially as every home could have access to the internet easily and affordably.