Market Trends of Africa Satellite Imagery Services Industry
Natural Resource Management to Hold a Significant Market Share
- The African countries are renowned for their abundant natural assets, including vast forests, agricultural lands, mineral deposits, and marine resources. Satellite imagery services play an essential role in efficiently and sustainably managing these resources, making them a significant driver in the market.
- Satellite imagery is crucial in mineral exploration, helping identify potential mining sites and conducting remote surveys. It assists in assessing environmental impacts, monitoring mining operations, and ensuring compliance with mining regulations.
- Further, in August 2023, Commercial satellite imagery made available through ESA's Third Party Missions program guides an ambitious community-focused initiative to regrow natural grasslands in Sub-Saharan Africa. Led by the non-profit foundation Justdiggit, this impressive project is revitalizing native ecosystems, boosting prosperity - and contributing to global climate action. Very high-resolution imagery gathered over a project site near the settlement of Rombo, Kenya, in Spring 2023 revealed substantial regrowth following a period of rainfall.
- Further, using satellite imagery services in natural resource management offers many opportunities for improving efficiency and sustainability. As satellite technology advancements and the ability to process and analyze the extensive amounts of satellite data generated by these systems improves, the potential for satellite imagery services to revolutionize how the country manages its natural resources will only continue to grow. Thus positively indicating the growth in demand for satellite imagery services in the coming years.
- The region's dependence on its natural resources for economic growth and sustainable development drives the demand for satellite imagery services to manage and preserve these valuable assets effectively. As African countries prioritize environmental conservation, resource efficiency, and disaster resilience, the need for satellite imagery services in Natural Resource Management such as oil extraction is expected to remain a significant driver in the market.
Government Initiatives and Investments to Support the Market Growth
- The government of African countries has taken aggressive measures to develop its space industry, recognizing the immense potential of space technology and Earth observation capabilities. These initiatives have placed the region as a prominent player in the global satellite imagery services market, driving advancements in data analytics, satellite technology, and remote sensing applications.
- GeoAction Africa is a ground-breaking initiative by the World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC) in collaboration with AGFUND, the Arab Gulf Development Programme. Its mission is to harness the power of geospatial technology to address the urgent challenges of climate change in Africa. Using advanced mapping techniques, satellite imagery, and remote sensing data, Geoaction is working towards creating a resilient and sustainable future for the continent. GeoAction Africa facilitates the research, documentation, and insights on the available commercial resources of geospatial data, services, tools, and solutions to help support African countries actively implement their national adaptation plans (NAPs).
- The government actively fosters partnerships and collaborations with international space agencies and private companies to expand its access to advanced satellite technology and data sources. These collaborations provide the UAE with valuable insights, knowledge exchange, and access to global space resources.
- Scientific and technological prowess is growing on the African continent in several fields of study and space-related research. This is evident by the number of space programs launched by different nations on the continent and a continental space agency under development. Despite their limited capabilities, technology development, such as miniaturization, has made it more affordable for emerging space nations to enter the space race.
- Africa is not commonly associated with space capabilities. Such a perception is misconstrued. The African Union is about to launch its continental space program, with several African countries already having space programs and some others being in the process of establishing such programs.