History has been rewritten today, Monday, 26 January 2026, as Owolabi Salis officially became the first Nigerian to journey into space. This monumental achievement marks a new era for Nigeria’s presence in the global space race and has ignited a wave of national pride across the continent and the diaspora.
Salis, a renowned lawyer, politician, and philanthropist, embarked on this historic mission not just as a tourist, but as a “symbol of African possibility,” carrying the Nigerian flag into the cosmos.
The flight was part of a high-profile suborbital mission (likely via a private aerospace company like Blue Origin or Virgin Galactic), which took the Nigerian explorer beyond the Kármán Line, the recognized boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space.
The spacecraft lifted off earlier today, reaching an altitude of approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles).
Salis spent several minutes in zero gravity, overlooking the curvature of the Earth and the vast African continent below, before safely touching back down.
Beyond personal achievement, Salis stated that his mission was to inspire Nigerian youth to “look up” and realize that no frontier, geographical or technological, is closed to them.
For those who have followed his career in Nigeria, Salis is a familiar name. He is a US-based Nigerian lawyer and accountant known for his advocacy for the “grassroots” and less privileged.
A former governorship candidate in Lagos State, known for his unique “Salisism” philosophy which focuses on wealth redistribution and equity.
His foundation has long provided scholarships and empowerment programs, a mission he plans to expand into STEM and Space Science following his return.
Statement from Owolabi Salis (Post-Landing)
“I did this for the black man. I did this for the Nigerian child in the village who thinks his dreams are limited by his surroundings. Today, I saw Nigeria from above, and she is beautiful, borderless, and full of potential. The sky is no longer the limit; it is just the beginning.”
