UK-Africa partnerships to boost the continent’s space race ambitions

The report delivered by Innovate UK found that while Africa’s space industry is decades younger than those in the US, UK, Europe, Russia and China, it is nevertheless a world-leader in several areas. However, Africa’s space sector could be boosted into a higher orbit through a strong international partnership network.

Taking its cue from the report, Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa has begun building the UK-South Africa Space Global Innovation Network to help space businesses and organisations in the public and private sector realise the innovation, economic and social benefits that a coordinated and collaborative space sector stands to deliver.

Forging partnerships

The report is derived from learnings gathered during a UK-Africa Space Technology Knowledge Exchange tour which saw space sector experts from South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, and other pan-African organisations visit several UK space industry companies and facilities. This included studies of the Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Space Park Leicester, and SaxaVord Spaceport, as well as meeting with the Scottish Parliament and European Space Agency’s Business Incubation Centre, with an emphasis on ecosystem building and opportunities to forge partnerships to tackle common challenges. A key report finding was that although both regions have distinct advantages and differences, there is plenty of scope for mutually beneficial collaboration.

*Figures have been rounded down for illustrative purposes. 

By comparison, its UK counterpart, established in the 1950s, today employs over 45,000 people and is worth £16.4bn (about R393bn) according to 2024 UK Department of Business & Trade data.

Expanding markets

Despite its marginally smaller sector, Africa has world-class upstream capabilities thanks to its homegrown skills and expertise, with the capacity to design and manufacture highly technical components. And they exist in markets that are hungry to apply space technologies for communications, data exchange, earth observation, space weather monitoring and space data for air, land and sea navigation, urban planning, spatial development, minerals exploration, agriculture, water management, broadcasting and telecoms, crime prevention, food security, border management, national security and a myriad of other important applications we rely on in our day-to-day lives.

Industry challenges

Africa’s space industry is subject to the same constraints as other sectors, notably the need for capital when economic growth is slow, rising costs through inflation and currency devaluation, and governments have competing demands on the public purse. Space policy, regulations, and the capacity to formulate, coordinate and provide oversight of these are other challenges the industry faces.

The UK’s space industry faced similar challenges and used them to build a robust ecosystem that extends beyond the scientific, academic, and engineering realms, to include policy formulation, investors, finance, risk, insurance, and commercial expertise. The outcome has been a resilient, sustainable, and well-coordinated sector that continues to attract fresh talent, promotes research and development (R&D), and provides innovative space-based solutions.

Strengthening relationships

Africa boasts all the ingredients of a globally competitive space industry, and according to Innovate UK’s report, deeper relations with the UK could help it navigate around many of these challenges. As such, the report recommends the formation of a UK-Africa Space Network. This would establish and strengthen relations between the UK and African space sectors including national space agencies, R&D, manufacturing and commercial sectors.

About Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa

Global Alliance Africa is a six-year project funded by UK International Development through Innovate UK (GCRF) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

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Webpage iuk.ktn-uk.org/programme/africa