In a landmark breakthrough for Nigerian science and African innovation, space scientist Temidayo Oniosun is sending Egusi seeds, an essential component of West African cuisine, into orbit aboard NASA’s Crew-11 resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
The launch, scheduled for July 31 at 12:09 PM EDT (5:09 PM Nigerian time) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, marks the first time seeds from Nigeria will travel to space, a milestone enabled through partnerships with The Karman Project and Jaguar Space LLC.
The goal of the experiment is to evaluate Egusi’s nutritional and functional viability in space environments, with implications for long-term human survival during future Moon or Mars missions. “These seeds symbolise more than agriculture. They represent food security, adaptability, and scientific sovereignty in space exploration,” said Dr Oniosun. The Egusi seeds, sourced from Oyo State, will undergo rigorous analysis involving in vitro germination, spectral imaging, respiration tests, and molecular studies in collaboration with the University of Florida and a research team in Brazil.
Oniosun, a graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), has long been a leading voice in African space tech. His resume includes a master’s degree in Satellite Applications from the University of Strathclyde and a Ph.D. from the University of Delaware. He previously led FUTA’s space club to a balloon launch in 2015 and has advised Nigeria’s satellite strategy. FUTA’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, praised the development as a symbol of African excellence reaching beyond Earth’s orbit.
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