US‑based Nigerian lawyer and political figure Owolabi Salis has become the first Nigerian to travel into space. Salis reached beyond the internationally recognised boundary of space on a Blue Origin suborbital flight, marking a historic achievement for Nigeria.
Owolabi Salis was born in Ikorodu, Lagos State. He holds degrees in accounting and law and is licensed to practise in both Nigeria and the United States.
In June 2025, Salis flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS‑33 mission, a privately operated suborbital spacecraft to cross the Kármán line.
This boundary at approximately 100 kilometres above sea level is widely used by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale to define entry into space.
Blue Origin is an aerospace company established by Jeff Bezos that operates civilian spaceflights. The NS‑33 mission is part of its programme designed to offer suborbital space travel to private individuals.
Salis was one of six passengers on the NS‑33 flight, which lifted off from West Texas and reached an altitude of roughly 105.2 kilometres before returning safely to Earth. Included in the crew were Allie Kuehner, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno Jr. and Jim Sitkin.
The flight lasted about ten minutes, with only a brief period spent above the Kármán line. This timeframe is typical of suborbital missions, which are designed to provide participants with a short experience of space before re‑entry.
Salis described the mission as “more than just a trip into space,” emphasising its broader significance for inspiration and representation. “This mission is more than just a trip into space, it’s a spiritual journey, a call to inspire future generations,” he said ahead of the launch.
Prior to this achievement, Salis had set other records, including becoming the first Black African to visit both the Arctic and Antarctic in the same season.
The milestone has drawn attention to Nigerian participation in space ventures, albeit through private means rather than a government‑driven astronaut programme.
Nigeria’s official space agency, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), continues to focus primarily on satellite development and research activities
Salis’s journey highlights the expanding role of civilian spaceflight in providing opportunities for individuals outside traditional national astronaut corps. Such private missions serve to broaden the visibility of Nigerians in global space endeavours.
Owolabi Salis’s flight aboard Blue Origin’s NS‑33 has placed him in history as the first Nigerian to travel beyond Earth’s atmosphere. The achievement underscores the increasing accessibility of space travel for private citizens and offers a symbolic milestone for Nigerians with interests in science, technology and exploration.
